Self-builders in counties with poor drainage such as Leitrim and Wexford will continue to struggle to get planning permission, the draft Code of Practice published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week suggests. Even though the draft Code of Practice (COP) is making it easier to pass the percolation test, increasing the T-value from […] More
It wasn’t by design that Paul and Rebecca O’Connor became largely self-sufficient, it was a by-product of their self-build. I was looking for a place to renovate – which I was convinced would have to be by the sea – and came across this house in a woodland in the year 2000. Not building in […] More
So, you’ve designed your house and are looking at an off-the-shelf effluent treatment system to ensure that you keep your groundwater clean and local environment healthy. But is there a way to build your own treatment system? In a word, yes. The most common way to treat the wastewater that comes from one-off houses in the […] More
Every house needs some way to deal with the waste water it generates from flushing the toilet, from showers, washing machines, and so on. Images from The EPA Code of Practice: Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses (p.e.≤10) If you cannot connect to the mains wastewater network, then you will need an onsite […] More
I already have a septic tank, should I be worried that it’s not performing? People often forget all about their septic tanks once they’ve moved in but they do need to be desludged, generally once every year or every two years, depending on the size and use of the system (see last question). Other routine […] More
You will need to do some digging, perhaps literally, to find out what the best wastewater option is for your site – even before you buy the land as you may encounter difficulties if you are unable to connect to the main sewer. In ROI where the planning process is integrated with waste management, you […] More
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