Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 November 2012
164. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the inspection plan, including the operating manual for inspectors under the Water Services Act 2012, will be finalised and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50587/12]
View answer165. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with reference to the 2007 report entitled ‘Regulatory Impact Analysis of the proposed Surface Water Classification Systems including Environmental Quality Standards: Final Report’ which is hosted on his Department’s website and states that the total cost of the remediation of septic tanks nationally will be between €975 million and €3 billion and that the individual cost to householders is likely to be between €7,000 and €25,000, if he has undertaken any recent estimation as to the total cost to the State of complying with ECJ Judgment C-188/08 and the water quality standards required under the water framework directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50608/12]
View answer169. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the standards for which homeowners must comply to under the Water Services (Amendment) Bill will be published; whether or not grant aid will be made available to persons who must carry out upgrade work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50679/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 164, 165 and 169 together.
The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that the Environmental Protection Agency will make the National Inspection Plan for domestic waste water treatment systems. A public consultation on the proposed plan was commenced by the Agency on 11 October 2012. Submissions received are currently being reviewed by the Agency with a view to finalising the Plan. A training course for persons who will be appointed to carry out inspections is also currently being finalised and this is being overseen by the Water Services Training Group. I understand that the Plan and the training course will be finalised shortly.
The standards to be met by all domestic waste water treatment systems are set out in the Act. They are that such systems do not constitute and are not likely to constitute a risk to human health or the environment and in particular do not create a risk to water, air or soil or to plants or animals. The Act also provides that such systems must not create a nuisance through noise or odours or adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest. These standards were augmented by the provisions of the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012 which set out additional performance standards, including maintenance and de-sludging requirements.
A Regulatory Impact Analysis carried out by my Department for the 2012 Act is published on my Department’s website. The 2007 Regulatory Impact Analysis referred to was prepared by consultants, ERM Ireland, for the Environmental Protection Agency and it was not concerned with the provisions of the 2012 Act.
It is not possible to estimate the total cost of remediation for defective domestic waste water treatment systems. The extent of remediation required will depend on the nature of any problem identified, the extent of the risk to human health or the environment and the hydrological and geological conditions present. These factors will inform the selection of the most appropriate and cost-effective solution. While responsibility for the maintenance of on-site waste water treatment systems lies with the owners of those systems, I have stated on a number of occasions that I am prepared to consider all possible options to provide financial support to householders’ whose wastewater treatment systems are deemed, following inspection under the new legislation, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. The provision of any financial support will have regard to the overall budgetary situation and to the financial position of the individual households concerned.
