How much
Up to €12,000
towards repairing, upgrading or replacing a domestic wastewater treatment system. The maximum went up from €5,000 on 1 January 2024.1
The three routes
In Donegal, a grant is available through one of three routes:1
- National Inspection Plan: your system was inspected, failed, and you've been given an Advisory Notice listing the works needed.
- Priority Areas for Action: your system is in a priority area and LAWPRO has issued you an eligibility letter.
- High Status Objective Catchment Areas: your home is in one of these catchments. You can check by Eircode on the council's map.
Who qualifies
Generally:1
- The house is your main home.
- It isn't connected to a public sewer.
- It wasn't built in the last 7 years.
- You haven't had a septic tank grant in the last 7 years.
- The works meet the EPA's 2021 Code of Practice.
Donegal County Council's Water & Environment section, on 074 915 3900, can tell you whether you qualify.1 Check with them before any work starts.
What isn't covered
Routine maintenance and desludging aren't covered by the grant.1 That's worth knowing, because many failed inspections come down to simple maintenance and desludging in the first place.2 Keeping your tank emptied on schedule is the cheapest way to stay out of trouble.
What to do next
If you've had an Advisory Notice, contact the council about the grant before work starts. If your tank simply needs emptying, that's what we do: ring Ryan on 085 195 6808. Not sure when it was last done? Use the checker in our how often to empty a septic tank guide.
Sources
Checked 19 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and grant terms change, so check with Donegal County Council or the relevant body before relying on them.