Public health is being put at risk by faulty septic tanks.
An EPA report on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems has found half of septic tanks in Ireland failed inspections last year, with 20 per cent of those posing a risk to human health and the environment.
It also says enforcement orders to fix faults by local authorities is ‘inconsistent’.
In Donegal, 44% of septic tanks failed inspections with 83% of them fixed by the end of last year.
Noel Byrne of the EPA says local authorities must make homeowners repair faulty tanks:
