Sir, – Your Editorial (February 17th) regarding the abysmal failure of the local authorities to treat and manage urban waste water and sewage also referred to the ongoing issue regarding septic tanks.
You argue that responsibility rests with individual households in rural Ireland to pay for the upgrade of their waste water treatment systems to meet new higher standards. That is inequitable and unaffordable for most households, given that the same requirement is paid for through general taxation for those living in towns and cities.
Since 1963, every household in rural Ireland has had to apply for and received permission from local authorities to construct dwellings and septic tank systems to a specified standard. The construction and ongoing maintenance of each one of those 480,000 septic tanks were funded directly by the homeowner.
If the standards are changed subsequently, then the Government must step in and provide funding to allow homeowners to comply with the new obligations. In fairness to Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan he understands the problem, and has stated both in the Dáil and Senate that he is prepared to consider support in this area.
This is to be welcomed as everyone has an interest in improving water quality. However, the financial burden must be shared fairly. – Yours, etc,