DWWTS Registration

DWWTS Registration, Grants, and Inspections.

Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (Including Septic Tanks) – National Inspection Plan

Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (DWWTSs) include all septic tanks, wastewater tanks and treatment systems receiving, storing, treating, or disposing of domestic wastewater. Risks to human health is a key concern from faulty DWWTSs. Faulty DWWTSs can contaminate household drinking water sources/wells with harmful bacteria and viruses and excessive releases of nitrogen and phosphorus can cause pollution in receiving waters.

A programme of DWWTSs inspections is carried out on an annual basis in accordance with a National Inspection Plan 2022-2026; Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The aim of the plan is to protect water quality and public health from risks posed by domestic wastewater treatment systems. Sligo County Council must undertake inspections in accordance with this Plan. Selection of individual sites for inspection is based on a risk-based approach in terms of protection of water quality and public health.  Sligo County Council will formally notify householders if their DWWTS is to be inspected.

The EPA publish an annual report on the implementation of the National Inspection Plan, this Plan can be accessed on the EPAs website on www.epa.ie.

Grants

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage revised the DWWTS grant scheme effective from 1st January 2024.  The revised grant scheme increased the maximum grant available from €5,000 to €12,000 and removed the requirement for householders to have registered the DWWTS in 2013.  The grants are available to assist householders with the cost of works for the remediation, repair, upgrade, or replacement of a DWWTS serving a house.  All works must be undertaken in accordance with the EPA 2021 Code of Practice for Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems. The grants are available where either:

  1. The householder receives an Advisory Notice, following a failed local authority inspection carried out under the National Inspection Plan.
  2. The house is situated in a Prioritised Area for Action, as detailed under the River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021 or subsequent published plans. The applicant must have received a letter from the Local Authority Waters Programme Office (LAWPRO) on behalf of the local authority, confirming eligibility to apply for a grant.
  3. The house is situated in a High-Status Objective Catchment Area, as under the River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021 or subsequent published plans. The applicant must have received a letter from the local authority confirming eligibility to apply for a grant. Homeowners can input their Eircode on the website link below to determine if their residence is located within a High-Status Objective Catchment Area.

Full details on the grant schemes are available to view at:

Domestic waste water treatment systems (septic tanks)

Further information can be obtained from the Environment Section by emailing environ@sligococo.ie or phone 071 9111111.

 

Domestic Wastewater System Registration FAQ’s

What is a domestic wastewater treatment system?

Domestic wastewater treatment systems include all septic tanks, wastewater tanks and treatment systems receiving, storing, treating, or disposing of domestic wastewater. It also includes all fittings and percolation areas associated with such tanks and systems and drains used to discharge wastewater from a premises, whether a receiving tank is present.

What is the Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems Registration System?

The purpose of the registration and inspection system for domestic wastewater treatment systems, introduced under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012, is to protect ground and surface water quality (particularly drinking water sources) from the risks posed by malfunctioning systems. All owners of premises connected to a domestic wastewater treatment system are required to register their systems.

Who must register under the legislation?

All owners of domestic wastewater treatment systems are required to register their systems with the water services authority in whose functional area the systems are located.   However, owners of properties connected to larger on-site systems which discharge ≥ 5 cubic metres per day do not need to register.  Such systems, which serve sports clubs, pubs, hotels, guesthouses, and other businesses require a licence from the relevant local authority under Section 4 of the Local Government Water Pollution Act 1977, as amended.

What are the exemptions from having to register and pay the fee?

There are no exemptions.  All owners of premises connected to domestic wastewater treatment systems must register their system.  This includes owners of properties which are let, whether private landlords or local authorities etc. 

Where can I find out more information about the legislation and inspections?

Further information on the legislation and the inspection system is available at:

The EPA Website:

EPA

How much is the registration fee?

The registration fee is set at €50.

How long does my certificate of registration last?

Following registration of the domestic wastewater treatment system there is no requirement to re-register the system at intervals.

How do I register and pay the registration fee?

Who is collecting the Registration Fee?

The registration fee is being collected centrally by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on a shared service basis on behalf of the water services authorities.  Payment can also be made direct to your local authority.

What happens if I don't register?

If you don’t register your system by the 1st of February 2013, you are committing an offence. Local authorities will be responsible for following-up cases of non-compliance.  The maximum penalty for an individual who commits an offence under the legislation is a fine of €5,000.

What will the registration fee be used for?

The registration fees are intended to cover the costs to the water services authorities of administering the registration system and of managing the risk-based inspections to be carried out.

What details do I require to register and pay?

You will be asked for the following information when registering:

  • your name,
  • your email address (if registering online)
  • your address for correspondence purposes,
  • the address of the property connected to a domestic wastewater treatment system (if different to your correspondence address),
  • credit or debit card details for payment. If registering online, you will also be asked to create a password so that you can access your account in the future.  These details must be provided, or you will be unable to complete the registration process.

You will also be asked for information such as your telephone number and the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) for the property connected to the domestic wastewater treatment system.

Why is the MPRN requested?

The Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) is a unique number assigned to every property connected to an electricity supply.  Use of the number eliminates the possibility of confusing one property with another.   It may help you to confirm that the domestic wastewater treatment system serving your particular property is in fact registered.  In the absence of an individual identifier, it may not be possible to differentiate between individual properties with similar addresses.

There is more than one MPRN for my property, which one should I use?

Some properties may have more than one MPRN.  For example, where a “granny flat” or a pump house for a well has its own electricity supply.  In such cases, the MPRN to be entered is the one which applies to the main residence.

Can I register and pay for more than one property?

Yes, you can register and pay the appropriate fees for multiple properties, both online and by submitting the relevant forms with the appropriate payment to: 
Protect Our Water, PO BOX 12204, Dublin 7.

Will I receive a payment receipt?

You can print off your receipt from the online system when you complete the registration and payment process, or a receipt will be sent to your email address.

If you submit an application form and payment to Protect Our Water, PO BOX 12204, Dublin 7, you will receive a printed receipt in the post.

Please retain your receipt.

A Certificate of Registration will be issued to you (by post) when your registration fee is processed.

What will the information on the register be used for?

Access to the information held on the register will be restricted to the local authorities and the EPA.  Your personal information will not be shared with any other public or private body.  A privacy statement can be viewed at www.ProtectOurWater.ie   

What happens if I sell or transfer ownership of my property?

You will require a Certificate of Registration when selling/transferring ownership of a property. This certificate confirms that the domestic wastewater treatment system serving the property is registered.  The new owner is responsible for updating the ownership details on the register. 

What is the position where a sole owner of a property dies?

Where a person who is the sole owner of a property dies, no action is necessary until the execution of the will or administration of the estate is complete and the property passes to the beneficiary.  The beneficiary will then be responsible for updating the register.

I own a mobile home that is connected to a septic tank. Does it need to be registered?

Yes – all residential premises, including buildings, caravans, and mobile homes or other structures connected to a domestic wastewater treatment system must be registered.

I own a property that is connected to a septic tank, but it is unoccupied. Does it need to be registered?

Yes.

Who must register and pay the fee where a property is jointly owned?

The registration requirement falls on all co-owners, but registration and payment can be made by any one co-owner.

If a property was purchased under the Shared Ownership Scheme, does it have to be registered?

Yes

I represent an owner of multiple properties (for example, a local authority, business, or trust) – is there a facility for me to register all properties together?

Details of each individual property must be provided, either by adding properties through the on-line system or by submitting separate application forms. 

Payment Online

Why is a security question required?

The security question (and your answer) provides you with a second level of security.  The Protect Our Water Registration System protects accounts from unauthorised access and will require verification of your account information, such as First Name, Last Name, and your response to the security question. If you require technical support, or have questions about your account, a Protect Our Water Support Team member will ask you to provide an answer to the security question – this must match the answer provided during registration.

What is the procedure for online payments?

When you enter www.protectourwater.ie  you will have the following two options to register and pay the fee:

New Customer

If you are a new customer, please click the “Create Account” button. You will be brought through a step-by-step process for creating your password, registering your property, and paying the charge(s).

An Account Reference Code will be generated for you. Your Account Reference Code is a unique number for your account. It will be displayed on screen, and you should take note of it for future use. It will also appear on your payment receipt.

If you provide your email address in the registration process, your account reference code will be emailed to you (please check your email settings to ensure that you receive this notification, i.e. that it is not treated as spam or trash).

The Account Reference Code and Password can be used in any future interaction with Protect Our Water. If you experience any difficulties accessing these codes, please contact the Protect Our Water Bureau Support Centre at 1890 800 800 to obtain your account reference number.  You can also email  support@protectourwater.ie 

Existing Customer

If you are an existing customer, please click the “Login” button. Please note that you will require your Account Reference Code and Password to access your account.

I've lost my Account Reference Code, what do I do?

If you are an existing customer and you have forgotten your Account Reference Code, please click the "Lost Reference" button on the Login screen.  You will be prompted to enter your email address. Once you have clicked the “Send” button you will receive your Account Reference Code by email.

I've forgotten my Account Reference Code and the email address I supplied when I registered my account. What do I do?

You should contact the Protect Our Water Support Centre at 1890-800800.  To confirm your identity, you will be asked a number of questions regarding information provided by you when you registered.  If your identity is confirmed, your account reference code and email address will be provided to you.  

How do I apply for a refund?

If you consider that you are due a refund of a registration fee paid, please submit your application for a refund, stating the reason for your claim to: Protect Our Water, PO BOX 12204, Dublin 7.  You can telephone LoCall 1890 800 800 for further information.

Forms

The form for written applications can be downloaded from ProtectOurWater.ie