The State needs to start punishing people who do not maintain their septic tanks, Ciara Kelly has said. 

The Environmental Protection Agency surveyed 1,400 households’ septic tanks and found that 56% of them failed to meet the necessary standard. 

In its report, the EPA said that a “significant number [were] identified as a risk to human health and the environment.” 

On Newstalk Breakfast, presenter Ciara Kelly said far too many people do not carry out basic maintenance. 

“It looks like… people get them, put them in and just leave them to it,” she said. 

“They just leave them at it and a huge amount of people don’t maintain them, don’t desludge them, don’t empty them out and refill them or do anything at all other than install them and hope for the best.” 

A worker installs a sewer manhole on a septic tank made of concrete rings. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Local authorities provide grants to help people with the cost of septic tanks; however, Ciara added that there must be some form of penalty for those who fail to maintain their tanks as well. 

“We don’t have a system where people get regular checks, regular desludging,” she said. 

“That system doesn’t exist, people aren’t doing it on their own. 

“And I think considering how much of this effluent is going into our groundwater, into our land, into our agriculture, possibly into our drinking water system, we’re going to have to be talking about not just about carrots, we’re going to have to talk about sticks.” 

'I’m not sure in this country we actually care'

Fellow presenter Shane Coleman added that more people need to consider the public good. 

“Do you know what we’re really good at in this country? Looking after our own little patch and how it affects us,” he said. 

“But I’m not sure in this country we actually care about the wider environment. 

“I was coming in this morning in a taxi and there was rubbish everywhere. 

“People give out about Dublin City Council but there’s people from Dublin City Council out cleaning the streets today - this is people dumping their rubbish, not even caring.” 

Main image: Split of a septic tank and Ciara Kelly. Pictures by: Alamy.com and Newstalk.