RURAL HOUSEHOLDERS with septic tanks will now be given a “generous period of time, likely to be up to 12 months” to register them, according to the Department of the Environment.
On February 7th, when Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan announced the fee would be reduced from €50 to €5, it was to apply to those who registered “during the first three months of the scheme after it becomes operable on March 31st”.
Now, his department is saying that it expects the registration system “will be in place by mid-April 2012, and a generous period of time, likely to be up to 12 months, will then be available for householders to comply with the requirement to register”.
The reduced fee was described by the Minister as “an incentive for owners to register early”, and it was to revert to €50 after the first three months. However, now they will have until April 2013 to register, either online or in writing.
“A modest registration fee, which will be set at €5 for the first three months of the registration period and €50 thereafter, is payable to cover the costs of administration by the water services authorities and of the risk-based inspections to be carried out.”
The department’s website also hints that financial assistance might be available to householders on limited incomes whose septic tanks may need to be upgraded – as advocated by An Taisce and others.
“All possible options to provide financial support to householders whose systems are deemed, following inspection, to require remediation or upgrading will be kept under review pending the commencement of inspections,” the website says.
