Worried about your Septic Tank

A correctly installed and functioning sewage tank will provide constant pollution protection.

But, a failing or badly installed sewage tank will be releasing a steady stream of pollutants into your environment - 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.

Often the only way to spot a malfunctioning tank is when it is too late and damage has been done – not just to your own property, but to surrounding land, receiving waters (such as rivers and lakes) or to the local groundwater supply.

The hidden pollutant

This is a problem being taken very seriously with the European Commission leading the action to tackle this potential threat.

In October 2009 the European Court of Justice demanded the Irish Government take action to ensure that the country’s estimated 500,000 wastewater treatment systems received specific care and attention from building owners and that any failing tanks were rectified.

Likewise, April 2010 saw the UK government’s Environment Agency introduce increased tighter measures (known as EPP2) to safeguard the quality and standard of sewage tanks being installed into domestic houses.

Fines for pollution incidents across the UK and Ireland are also being issued with increasing regularity and with much stiffer penalties – both to individual owners and to occupants on group water schemes.

Your Obligation

The message is clear – It is the building owner’s responsibility to ensure that the system serving their property is correctly installed and not causing pollution.