All owners of domestic wastewater treatment systems are required to register their systems with the water services authority in the area they are located.
A website has been set up by the Department of Environment,Community and Local Government called protectourwater.ie to facilitate payment of the charge. Registration forms are available for those who are not able to register online from City/County councils, Libraries,Citizens Information centres or Lo Call 1890 800 800.
The registration fee is €5 if registered by 28th September 2012 and €50 from 29th September onwards.
The deadline for registration is 1st February 2013.
The maximum penalty for not registering is €5,000.
The certificate of registration is valid for five years. It will then be necessary to reregister. There will be no fee for subsequent registrations
All residential premises including buildings, caravans and mobile homes or other structures connected to a domestic wastewater treatment system must be registered. This includes unoccupied dwellings as well.
However owners of properties connected to larger on site systems which discharge in excess of 5 cubic metres per day do not need to register. Such systems which serve sports clubs, pubs , hotels and other businesses require a licence from the relevant local authority under Section 4 of the Water Pollution Act 1997
The owner of the property must register and there are no exemptions, If a owner is physically or metally incapacitated, registration must be done on their behalf.