Sir, – Environmental reasons have been adduced for the proposed imposition of charges on septic tanks. However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, a farm with 2,500 cows produces as much waste as a city with about 411,000 residents.
Ireland’s rural human population of approximately 1.7 million is dwarfed by a cattle population in the region of seven million. When another six million sheep and pigs are added to the equation, it is obvious that any seepage from septic tanks is insignificant compared to the animal waste which goes directly onto the land. Therefore the Government’s presentation of the septic tank charge as environmental is clearly bogus. – Yours, etc,