61% of septic tanks inspected in Kerry last year failed environmental inspections.
That’s according to the latest report by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA’s Domestic Waste Water Treatment System Inspections report 2025, shows 1,466 septic tank inspections were carried out nationally last year.
Almost six in 10 inspections nationwide failed, with issues identified including leaks, illegal discharges and poor maintenance.
The report shows the failure rate in Kerry was slightly higher than the national average.
Kerry County Council inspected 75 septic tanks in the county last year, 61% of which failed.
378 system failures have been reported in the Kingdom since 2013, 85% of which were fixed at the end of 2025.
Meanwhile, the report shows Kerry County Council was among four local authorities (alongside Limerick, Mayo and Wexford) which accounted for 90% of legal cases taken since inspections commenced (in 2013).
Noel Byrne, Project Manager with the EPA, is urging people to maintain their septic tanks:
