Public meeting voices opposition to septic tank charges

Rural dwellers will not be used as "cash cows" for the Government or local councils, a bullish Cllr Tony Ward said in the wake of a packed public meeting called to discuss the proposed new septic tank charges last week. Over 150 people attended the meeting in Curraghboy organised by Independent MEP Marian Harkin, who complained that billions of euro has been spent on providing waste treatment water free of charge for urban dwellers and that in fairness the same support should be available for people living in rural areas. She is to write to Minister for Environment, Phil Hogan, in a bid to clear up the confusion and concern around the controversial inspection charges which it's claimed could be up to €300. The Sligo-based MEP also intends raising the matter in the European Parliament when it reconvenes in the autumn. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent this week, Independent Cllr Tony Ward said he has been inundated with phone calls since the meeting from local people who were unable to attend and want to voice their concern on the issue. He said the first thing that alerted him that something was afoot was the large number of planning applications for rural extensions where further information was sought in relation to the septic tanks and a report had to be sent in by an engineer on the issue. "There is a lot of concern out there and we need clarification," he stated, adding that there are fears that people will have to pay €300 for the inspection and if works are necessary they will only have 50 days to complete them. He highlighted the examples given by Marian Harkin at the meeting of what happens elsewhere in relation to septic tanks. For instance, in Scotland there is no inspection system but when you go to sell a house you must have the tank inspected and get a compliance certificate before offering it to the market. Elsewhere, in Northern Ireland there is an inspection every seven years costing around €60, he added, and groups can come together there to bring down the cost. Tanks are also desludged for free in Northern Ireland, Cllr Ward pointed out. "There are a lot of questions to be answered. There is a concern out there especially among older people that the inspection will be carried out and they will have very short notice to carry out any works. You could also looking at €7,000 for an upgrade. A puraflo system is around €3,000 and then add the associated costs like installation which could bring that up to €7,000. That's a lot of money to someone who is unemployed, on social welfare or an old age pensioner," he argued. Cllr Ward, who will raise the issue in a motion to the next meeting of Roscommon County Council, called for a common-sense approach to the charges, pointing out that rural people are not unreasonable but they will not be a "cash cow" for another tax to fund local government or to boost the exchequer coffers. "There is no way people are going to accept this as another form of tax," he complained, stating that when all the money was spent on sewerage schemes around the country nothing was given to rural dwellers despite the fact they paid development charges too. "The Environmental Protection Agency and the Government should carry out the inspections free of charge or for a nominal charge," he believes and anything higher will be opposed in rural Ireland, rejecting the idea that people don't keep their septic tanks up to standard. "People do comply, it doesn't suit them not to comply," he concluded.