EPA report finds Leitrim to have one of the highest failure rates of Septic Tank inspections

A new report from the EPA claims that Leitrim is one of the Counties with the highest failure rates when it comes Septic Tank inspections. 75 per cent of the tanks inspected failed. It’s one of a number of counties where between 70-97per cent of inspected tanks failed. The failure rate in Sligo stood at 54 per cent while in Donegal was slightly lower at 51 per cent. Across the country more than half of sceptic tanks failed inspection last year.  The report states more than 1,390 inspection were carried out by local authorities last year.  The figures from the Environmental Protection Agency also found that 82 per cent of failures between 2013 and 2024 were fixed by the end of last year.  Local Authorities targeted their inspections near rivers and household drinking water wells which are most at risk of contamination by faulty septic tanks.  56 per cent of those that failed did so because they were not built or maintained properly.  Programme Manager with the EPA Noel Byrne said the level failure was concerning.