All is not ‘well’ when it comes to rural water access and septic tanks-Naughton

Cllr Michael Naughton has called for a moratorium on the requirement of having to own a home for a number of years in rural locations, before they can draw down a grant to bore a well on their properties.

He told the DonegalLive.ie: “At the moment there is a grant for boring a well, but the house has to be seven years old. 

“And this is unacceptable and unfair to young couples or people going out to buy new houses.  

He said that his comments also come in the context of the government last year appealing for old houses and derelict houses in the country, “and that there was a grant there to do these houses up”.

He made the point that many of these houses do not have water or septic tanks. 

“There is no support or help for them there now.

He added that most people knew of the price of getting a water connection through Irish water (now Uisce Éireann), which was “serious money to get connected up”.

“Some of these people could not afford it. We are talking about prices in the region of €60-€80,000 to get a water connection to a new house. That is unacceptable for a young couple. They don’t have that kind of financial assets.”

He went on to say that to be eligible for grants for septic tanks, you have to be registered with the authorities since February, 2013 to be available to draw down this source of funding.

“I think that this is very unfair as well. People are buying houses in rural locations at the moment, there is an issue with their septic tank. But they cannot apply for a grant.

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“That is very unfair and that is why it needs to be changed and why we need to go to the Minister in reaction to both the wells and the septic tank grants.”

Cllr Naughton had also raised the matter at the monthly meeting of the Donegal Municipal District of Donegal County Council.