The grant available to repair, upgrade or replace septic tanks is to increase to a maximum of €12,000 from 1 January 2024, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has announced.

The new grant rate is an increase of €7,000 from the €5,000 currently on offer.

The Minister also announced that the qualifying condition that the septic tank must be registered with the local authority prior to 1 February 2013 will be removed.

The changes will mean that more households will qualify for the grants and will be supported to upgrade or replace their tank by an enhanced grant.

Septic tanks collect, treat and discharge waste water from households that are not connected to public sewerage systems and they must be registered with local authorities, which may inspect them to ensure they do not pose any risk to the public and the environment.

Upgrade

Currently, grants of up to €5,000 are available to repair, upgrade or replace a septic tank provided it was registered before 1 February 2013.

The maximum grant will be increased by 140% to €12,000 and will be available to all eligible septic tank owners.

“These are very important changes which will help households, particularly those in rural Ireland, by easing the financial burden associated with upgrading, repairing or replacing a septic tank,” Minister O’Brien said.

“I’ve listened to the feedback from many stakeholders advocating for these changes and I believe they will encourage more households to avail of the grant and consequently help reduce the risk of environmental impact from defective tanks,” he said.