Drainage and septic tanks

Drainage specialists in Ireland

Blocked or broken drains, a CCTV drain survey before you buy, a septic tank that needs attention: drainage specialists near you answer with a price.

Post a task Drainage specialists by county

Drainage and septic tanks: every service

Drain CCTV surveyPutting a waterproof camera through the underground drains to see their condition, then reporting cracks, root intrusion, displaced joints, sagging runs and blockages with recorded footage.
Drain repair and reliningFixing an underground drain that is cracked, collapsed, displaced or full of roots, either by relining it from inside with a resin liner, without digging, or by excavating and replacing the damaged section.
Septic tank emptyingEmptying the sludge and scum from a septic tank or treatment system with a vacuum tanker and taking it to an authorised treatment plant.
Septic tank installationInstalling a new or replacement domestic wastewater treatment system — a septic tank or a packaged treatment unit — with its percolation area or polishing filter.

Hiring a drainage specialist in Ireland

Drainage work is unblocking, CCTV surveys, repairs and relining, and — in rural homes — septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systems. A survey first saves digging in the wrong place.

Septic tanks carry legal duties for the owner: registration, maintenance and desludging by an authorised collector.

What the work usually involves

CCTV drain surveys
Drain repairs
Septic tank emptying and checks
Soakaways

What to put in your task

Mains drainage or septic tank
What is happening — smell, slow drains, flooding
Where the manholes are, with photos
Whether it is for a house purchase or a problem now

Drainage and septic tanks: rules and grants in Ireland

The rules in Ireland

A septic tank or other domestic wastewater treatment system must be registered, maintained and desludged by an authorised waste collector.

Registration costs €50 at protectourwater.ie; failing to register can lead to a fine of up to €5,000 on conviction.
Councils inspect systems with at least ten working days’ notice; if one fails, an advisory notice follows.
Desludging must be done by an authorised waste collector — keep the proof for five years. The EPA gives every four years as a typical interval for a 3.5 m³ tank serving three people.

Sources · checked 9 October 2026

Grants

A council-confirmed septic tank fault can be grant-aided at 85% of the cost, up to €12,000.

You need a letter from the council confirming the fault; the home must be permanently occupied, at least seven years old, and not grant-aided in the last seven years.
Desludging and routine maintenance are not covered.

Sources · checked 9 October 2026

localgov.ie — septic tank (DWWTS) grant

What drainage specialists cost, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

Survey first, or straight to repair
Relining versus excavating
Depth, length and the surface to reinstate
For septic tanks: tank size, access for the tanker, and disposal
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

How long it usually takes

A CCTV survey: one to three hours on site.
Relining: about a day; excavation: several days.

What to ask before you choose

Will I get the survey footage and a written report?
Is relining possible, or does it need digging?
For desludging: what is your waste collection permit number?
Is VAT included?

Drainage specialists by county

Choose your county to see drainage specialists there and the towns they cover.

Drainage and septic tanks

Need a drainage specialist? Describe the job.

Post it once. Drainage specialists near you reply with their own price and when they could start. Free, and no obligation.

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Questions about hiring a drainage specialist

What rules apply to drainage and septic tanks work in Ireland?

A septic tank or other domestic wastewater treatment system must be registered, maintained and desludged by an authorised waste collector.

Is there a grant for drainage and septic tanks work?

A council-confirmed septic tank fault can be grant-aided at 85% of the cost, up to €12,000.

How long does drainage and septic tanks work take?

A CCTV survey: one to three hours on site. Relining: about a day; excavation: several days.

Is my septic tank registered?

Domestic waste water treatment systems must be registered with the local authority. The EPA explains the rules at epa.ie.

What is a drain survey?

A camera is run through the drains to show where a problem is before anything is dug up. Ask for the recording.

Does Talqero take payment?

No. You pay the business directly.