My Department provides funding for Domestic Waste Water Treatment System, commonly known as a septic tank, through a grant scheme. The Domestic Waste Water Treatment System grant is administered by the local authorities and all matters relating to its day-to-day operation, including applications and payments are a matter for the relevant local authority. Under the scheme, an appeals process is available for applicants who may have been dissatisfied with a decision of a local authority.
The scheme is demand led with applications made directly to the relevant local authority and therefore there is no specific amount of funding allocated by my Department on an annual basis. I can confirm that the value of funding provided in 2022 was in excess of €980,000, with the average grant paid to individual householders approximately €4,700.
The Water Services Act 2007, as amended, requires all owners of premises served by an individual domestic waste water treatment system to register their system with their local authority by 1 February 2013. Having a cut-off date before which owners must register helped to ensure that an estimated 95% of systems were registered before that date.
I can further confirm that my Department has undertaken a review of the Domestic Waste Water Treatment grant which is expected to be completed in the coming months.