Sir, – I have at the end of my garden a double-seat dry closet. I wonder what regulations and standards the Minister would apply to this? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – In his letter of February 10th, John Thompson writes that “an inspection might deem a site to be unsuitable altogether for a septic tank, regardless of repairs, and some owners might be forced to vacate buildings permanently.” This is a frightening scenario but it is unlikely to happen.
The EPA 2 009 Code of Practice Wastewater Treatment Systems for Single Housesis the current guide for site assessment. It outlines a method for the selection of a suitable wastewater treatment system for unsewered sites. It has information on the design and installation of conventional septic tank systems, filter systems and mechanical aeration systems. There is a section on secondary and tertiary treatment and another on integrated constructed wetlands. If a site is still not suitable for any of the above, Jer Keohane of Geotechnical Environmental Services, and IT Carlow, have designed a zero-emissions system using tertiary treatment and a small willow plantation. The first such system is up and running in Co Wexford. It has been operating successfully for a number of years. – Yours, etc,