Septic tank grants top €1m

More than €1 million has been paid out in septic tank grants to homeowners in Meath over the past three years, according to figures provided to councillors at a recent meeting of Meath County Council.

The figures were outlined in response to a question submitted by Sinn Fein Cllr Eddie Fennessy, who sought clarification on whether the septic tank grant budget had been expended in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and the average waiting times for grant payments.

In its response, Meath County Council confirmed that there is no specific septic tank grant budget held by the local authority, with all grants issued by the council fully recouped from the Rural Water Unit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Council outlined that the value of grants issued has increased significantly in recent years, particularly in 2024, when the maximum grant available rose from €5,000 to €12,000.

In 2023, a total of 28 grants were paid, with a combined value of €140,000. In 2024, 40 grants were issued, totalling €433,886.01. To date in 2025, 40 grants have been paid, amounting to €470,212.17.

This brings the total value of septic tank grants paid in Meath over the three-year period to €1,044,098.18.

The council also confirmed that the average waiting time from submission of a completed grant application to the issuing of payment is approximately 4-5 weeks.

Septic tank grants are provided to homeowners required to remediate or upgrade wastewater treatment systems, particularly following inspections under national environmental and water quality regulations.