Only 12 septic tanks inspected in West Cork in 2018

IT’S ridiculous that people who desludge their septic tanks have the waste taken all the way to Tipperary. 

That’s according to councillors who raised the need for more localised desludging services, at a meeting of the West Cork Municipal District.

Cllr John O’Sullivan (FG) complained that it is ridiculous to expect people who want to desludge their septic tanks to have the waste transported to Tipperary.

The issue came up for discussion after the Council’s director of environmental services, Louis Duffy, confirmed that there were only 12 septic tank inspections undertaken in West Cork in 2018.

Of the 12, Mr Duffy said the number of non-compliant systems was four, and that four advisory notices were issued in respect of four more septic tanks.

Mr Duffy said: ‘The key message is that householders are being encouraged to desludge their septic tanks using an authorised desludging contractor every two to three years.’ A list of local authorised desludging contractors is available from the environment directorate at Inniscarra.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) has complained on several occasions that there are not enough inspections taking place annually, because it is only non-compliant households that can apply for a grant for a new system.

But his party colleague, Cllr John O’Sullivan, pointed out: ‘The reason for non-compliance is that septic tanks are not being desludged because there is no place to deposit the waste.’

He said: ‘We need to get our act together on this issue – we need to get that up the line. We also need a paper record of where stuff goes so there is transparency, because sending it to Tipperary is not good enough.’

During the discussion of environmental issues, Cllr Aidan Lombard (FG) also asked the Council executive to update its civic amenity website and information so people know exactly what can and cannot be dumped.