Grant assistance may be provided in certain circumstances under the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems scheme for the remediation or replacement of defective systems, including septic tanks, where they are found to pose a risk to the environment.
Eligibility is not based on proximity to specific habitats or species; however, environmental sensitivities may be taken into account in determining environmental risk under the scheme. Grant support is targeted at systems that are found, following an inspection, to be defective and that present a priority environmental or public health risk.
In accordance with the law, the proper maintenance and operation of the domestic wastewater treatment systems is the responsibility of the owner.