A local Councillor says Leitrim residents cannot be expected to fix septic tank defects due to costs.
A new report highlights Leitrim had the second highest amount of inspection failures nationally at 71% and only 57% of these failures were reported as being rectified.
Senior manager at the EPA's Office of Environmental Enforcement, Jim Moriarty says local authorities, particularly Leitrim and Roscommon, need to follow through on advisory notices.
However, Independent Councillor Enda Stenson says elected members have pleaded with the executive not to follow people on this matter.
While a grant of just below €5,000 euro is available to households, Councillor Stenson says the minimum cost of replacing a septic tank system in Leitrim is over 20,000 euro due to its soil.
Councillor Stenson says people simply can't afford to pay the shortfall and a bigger grant must be provided.
''Why would we be going around terrorising people in rural Ireland again because of anew law that has been brought in and not properly grant aiding this system. It's not fair and its another hit against rural Ireland, rural Leitrim and rural places. It's not possible for about 80% of people whose septic tank fails to replace that septic tank and its not going to happen until the grant system changes.''
