A HOUSEHOLDER has slammed the Welsh Government’s policy of getting all private septic tanks in Wales registered by June.
Under new legislation relating to the discharge of sewerage and its effects on groundwater, all septic tanks must be registered by 30 June.
Thousands of letters have been sent out to Ceredigion residents by Environment Agency Wales, requiring them to complete a registration form for their tank, including their Ordnance Survey reference number.
The Welsh Government says this will help EAW understand where septic tanks are most likely to contribute to water pollution problems and ensure that appropriate action plans are in place.
But Nigel Mudie, a retired senior customs officer from Trisant, near Aberystwyth, branded the scheme “a complete waste of money” and warned: “In my experience in the tax industry, registration is always the first step to taxation.
“People have had septic tanks for years and years, so what’s the benefit of making everyone register them now, when finances are so strained?”, said Mr Mudie, 85, who has had the same tank since he moved to the area in 1970. “They say if you don’t register, you’ll end up paying a penalty. I can see it leading to another tax on them sooner or later.
“And what really annoys me is you have to return the form to Sheffield, so it’s not even creating jobs in Wales. They should concentrate on environmental issues that really matter rather than harassing ordinary citizens.”
A spokesman for Environment Agency Wales, said poorly-maintained tanks had polluted water ways in the past and that while registering every tank might seem expensive but would save time and money in future.
