OVER 3,200 homes in Donegal are on a hit list for the first tranche of septic tank inspections from early next year.
More than 2,100 are in the Manorcunningham, Letterkenny and Carrowen areas while the remainder are located in the Crana catchment, bordered by Drumfries, Buncrana and the Fullerton Pollen Dam.
1,082 tanks, 26% of the total, are believed to pose a risk to public water. 47 per cent of rivers in the area have ‘poor’ status.
Homes where systems fail to meet EU standards will have to replace them – with predicted costs said to range from €5,000 to €15,000.
Over 165,000 homes across the country will be targeted because they pose a risk to water sources. While the government has hinted that a grant scheme may be available there are fears this may not happen because of exorbitant costs.
Homeowners and businesses will have to register their septic tanks with their local authority by the end of the year.
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