Wastewater News & Updates Ireland

EPA Inspections Show 50% of Septic Tanks are Faulty

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 15:08:49 GMT

Worrying septic tank statistics from review carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A review carried out by EPA of 2,000 septic system inspections during 2017 and 2018 showed a failure rate as high as 50% of all septic tank systems. The systems that failed the inspections ‘were not built or maintained properly’ according to the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ).

Faulty septic tanks pose a major public health threat and pollute the surrounding environment and a high failure rate is a serious health concern. Director of the EPA’s office of environmental enforcement Dr Tom Ryan said: “If you do not maintain your septic tank, it can contaminate your own or your neighbour’s well or your local stream, putting your health at risk and that of your family and neighbours.”

Owners of septic systems should take simple steps to maintain them “by making sure it is not leaking, ponding or discharging to ditches and by cleaning it out regularly”, he said.

If you are worried about your septic tank and if it is functioning as it should Waste Water Maintenance can help. Waste Water Maintenance provide a septic maintenance service and offer impartial advice on your septic system. Wastewater maintenance do not sell septic tank systems which means that we can give you unbiased advice on how to best serve your current septic system and offer solutions to issues you may be having. Read more about Waste Water Maintenance here.

We have over 20 years' experience in septic tank problem solving and maintenance services. If you want to make sure you have a compliant septic tank system that is safe for the people and area around you call us on 045 447 585 or contact us for a septic tank inspection and advice that will be the most cost effective for your individual requirements.

EPA Warns of Risks from Malfunctioning Septic Tanks

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:59:54 GMT

A senior scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency has called on householders to take action to prevent leaks from their septic tanks.

The EPA inspected over 2,000 septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems in 2017 and 2018. Speaking on RTÉ’S News at One, Noel Byrne said that there was a 48% failure rate for these inspections. Click here to read the full article via RTÉ.

Ireland is Being Taken to Court for Failing to Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure

Fri, 07 Aug 2015 16:45:55 GMT

The European Commission plans to take Ireland to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to upgrade the wastewater treatment infrastructure.

Under EU law ( Council Directive 91/271/EEC ), towns and cities are required to collect and treat their urban wastewater. Untreated wastewater can put human health at risk and pollute lakes, rivers, soil, coastal and groundwater.

There are 38 locations around Ireland with inadequate wastewater infrastructure, including Arklow, Athlone, Cavan, Killarney, Waterford City and many more.

EU member states had until the end of 2000 to ensure appropriate treatment of wastewater from large urban areas. Countries were given until 2006 to properly treat discharges from medium-sized areas and discharges into freshwater and estuaries from smaller areas.

The Commission, the EU’s independent executive arm, initiated its case against Ireland four years ago and followed up with warnings in 2015 and last year.

The Commission said it was also concerned about the “failure to ensure that a correct operating licence has been issued for the treatment plants serving the agglomerations of Arklow and Castlebridge”.

If Ireland is found to be at fault by the Court of Justice of the EU, it will be issued with a further warning to comply with the law or risk a second case being brought, which may result in a fine.

Water is Top Concern for Textile Industry Executives

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:56:18 GMT

Water is the most serious long term environmental challenge facing the global textile industry, according to a recent study by Ecotextile News.

Ecotextile interviewed 50 senior executives from the global textile industry for its February/ March 2017 edition and asked them about the environmental and sustainability challenges facing their own organisations as well as the wider textile industry.

Eric Hopmann, CEO of Dystar argued that, “the huge amount of water that is required in textile production and the quality of effluents will require continuous improvements”.

John Cheh, vice chairman and CEO of the Esquel Group, a leading global textile manufacturing business said: “It has been estimated that in China, close to 20 per cent of the wastewater is generated by the textile industry. We must therefore focus on water conservation, wastewater treatment and recycling.”

West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle Continues to Dump Raw Sewage into Puget Sound

Wed, 20 May 2015 14:50:09 GMT

The damaged West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle is dumping 50 million gallons of raw wastewater including sewage into Puget Sound (inlet of the Pacific Ocean) every day, according to an article published in The Seattle Times on the 15th of February.

The West Point Treatment Plant is at half capacity and can’t manage heavy rain. The untreated effluent, about 90 percent storm water and 10 percent raw sewage, is being dumped from an emergency outfall pipe a few hundred feet offshore in water about 50 feet deep at West Point, said Doug Williams, King County spokesman.

The county is also diverting about 150 million gallons per day of effluent to other treatment plants within the system, depending on their capacity during the wet weather, Williams said.

The West Point plant has been running at half capacity since the 9th of February after a pump failed, causing some portions of the plant to flood and damage equipment. The county is in violation of its permits as it dumps the untreated sewage, exposing the county to monetary fines. It has notified regulatory agencies and tribes with treaty fishing rights in the area of the situation.

Work is under way to clean and repair the plant and determine why the pump failed on the 9th of February.