Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2014
308. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Environmental Protection Agency requirements for percolation tests will be reviewed in view of the advancement in sewerage treatment systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27884/14]
View answerSite assessment and testing, including percolation testing and water table testing, have been an important part of planning and development administration for many years and are essential elements of the planning application process for new developments , designed to ensure that development on suitable sites can proceed while protecting the environment. The EPA’s 2009 Code of Practice: Waste Water Treatment Systems Serving Single Houses re-states that where the treatment of wastewater from single houses is to be followed by discharge to ground, percolation tests are required to determine the suitability (or otherwise) of the soil/subsoil for those discharges. The advancements in treatment technologies do not alter the hydraulic nature of the soils.
It should be noted that the Code of Practice provides that where a site is deemed unsuitable for discharge to ground, alternative options, such as innovative designs of proprietary wastewater treatment systems, may be discussed with the relevant planning authority. The Code of Practice also provides that innovative products and technologies may be used in Ireland if they have the appropriate certification, are fit for purpose and the conditions in which they are used, and meet the performance requirements of the Code. In this regard, the EPA under its STRIVE (Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for the Environment) research programme has funded 3 years of research and analysis into, inter alia, evapo-transpiration systems for use with on-site wastewater treatment systems in low permeability soils and subsoils. The final report on this research will be published by the EPA in the near future. The EPA has indicated that the Code of Practice will be subject to on-going review with regard to emerging on-site wastewater treatment system technologies. The frequency and nature of such reviews are matters for the EPA.
