S.I. No. 117/1963:

PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES AND SEWERAGE FACILITIES REGULATIONS, 1963.

PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES AND SEWERAGE FACILITIES REGULATIONS, 1963.

The Minister for Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 2 and 3 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962 (No. 26 of 1962), hereby makes the following Regulations :--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Private Water Supplies and Sewerage Facilities Regulations, 1963.

2. In these Regulations--

" the Minister " means the Minister for Local Government ;

" the Act " means the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962 ;

" group installation " means--

(a) in the case of a water supply, the provision and installation of private water supplies in more than one dwelling-house, utilising a common source or sources and

(b) in the case of sewerage facilities, the provision and installation of private sewerage facilities in more than one dwelling-house, utilising a common disposal system or systems.

3. These Regulations shall apply to the provision and installation of private water supplies and private sewerage facilities for which grants are sought under section 2 and section 3 of the act.

4.--(1) A grant made under the Act by the Minister, or the sum of grants made under The act by the Minister and a sanitary authority, shall not exceed two-thirds of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the work.

(2) A grant made under the Act by a sanitary authority in any case shall not exceed the amount of any grant made in the same case by the Minister.

5. Subject to the limits specified in the preceding article, a grant made under the Act by the Minister, or by a sanitary authority, shall not exceed the appropriate figure in the following table :

6.--(1) A grant under the act shall not be made by the Minister or a sanitary authority for any work the cost of which, as estimated by the Minister, is less than £10.

(2) Except where the Minister is satisfied that the existing water supply or sewerage facilities is or are seriously deficient, a grant under the act shall not be made by the Minister or a sanitary authority for--

(a) the provision and installation in a dwelling-house of a water supply or sewerage facilities for which a grant was made by any Minister under any enactment or scheme ;

(b) the provision and installation of a water supply or sewerage facilities in a dwelling-house for the erection of which, with sewerage and water supply, a grant has been or will be made by any Minister under any enactment or scheme ;

(c) the provision and installation of a water supply or sewerage facilities the provision and installation of which was commenced before the 1st day of April, 1963.

7. Grants in respect of a group installation may be paid by the Minister and a sanitary authority in instalments, to a person or persons nominated by the group for the time being to receive the grants.

8. A grant under the act shall not be made by the Minister or a sanitary authority unless the following conditions are complied with in the provision and installation of a private water supply :--

(a) the work shall include the provision and installation, of a water-tap and sink in the dwelling-house, or in the case of a group installation in each dwelling-house, if no suitable sink has already been installed ;

(b) the source of the water supply shall be adequately protected against contamination ;

(c) in the case of a group installation the sanitary authority shall satisfy themselves as to the adequacy and suitability of the source for domestic and other use, and where the quality of the water is unsuitable for domestic use, such provision shall be made for purification as the sanitary authority may require or approve ;

(d) stored rainwater from roof catchments shall be used only where springs, wells or other acceptable sources having an adequate supply of water are not available within reasonable distance of the house to be served, or at reasonable cost ;

(e) where pumping of water is required, the pump shall be power-driven, and hand-operated pumps shall not be used.

9.--(1) The standards of constructional requirements specified in Part I of the Schedule shall normally be observed in the provision and installation of a private water supply.

(2) The said requirements shall be in addition to the provisions of any relevant bye-laws of the sanitary authority in whose functional area the dwelling-house or dwelling-houses are situate.

10. A grant under the act shall not be made by the Minister or a sanitary authority unless the following conditions are complied with in the provision and installation of private sewerage facilities :--

(a) the work shall include the provision and installation of a water closet in the dwelling-house, or in the case of a group installation, in each dwelling-house ;

(b) a water closet shall not communicate directly with any living-room or kitchen and shall be ventilated from outside the dwelling-house ;

(c) adequate arrangements shall be made for the disposal of sewage ;

(d) the water supply shall at all times be sufficient for flushing purposes.

11.--(1) The standards of constructional requirements specified in Part II of the Schedule shall normally be observed in the provision and installation of private sewerage facilities.

(2) The said requirements shall be in addition to the provisions of any relevant bye-laws of the sanitary authority in whose functional area the dwelling-house or dwelling-houses are situate.

12. The making of a grant under the act or the approval of any documents relating to a private water supply or sewerage facilities by the Minister or a sanitary authority shall not be or imply any guarantee or assurance as to the water supply or sewerage facilities provided and in particular as to the adequacy or suitability of the water supply or as to the right of any person to any water, wayleaves or similar matters.

13. Any doubt, dispute or question which may arise as to the date of commencement of the provision and installation of private water supplies or private sewerage facilities, the making of any grant under the act or the interpretation of these Regulations shall be determined by the Minister.

SCHEDULE

PART I

Constructional requirements for water supplies

1. Water pipes shall, where practicable, be laid with a minimum cover of 2 feet, or in the case of a group installation, at such greater depth as the sanitary authority may require or approve.

2. The water pipe leading to the dwelling-house or, in the case of a group installation, each dwelling-house, shall be fitted with a stop-cock.

3. Where sewerage facilities have not been or are not being provided, provision shall be made for the effective disposal of waste water from the dwelling-house, or, in the case of a group installation, each dwelling-house, by means of a trapped waste-pipe leading to a soakaway or sump of not less than 100 cubic feet capacity, and situated not less than 20 feet from the dwelling-house, or each dwelling-house, as the case may be. The soakaway or sump shall be so located as to avoid pollution to underground water sources.

4. Where the supply of water is being taken from a source other than a public watermain, the work shall include the provision and installation, in the dwelling-house or, in the case of a group installation, in each dwelling-house, of a high-level storage tank of capacity not less than 40 gallons, or not less than 80 gallons where a hot water system is being installed.

5. Where rain water is to be used as the main source of supply--

(a) A storage tank of at least 1,500 gallons capacity shall be provided ; where private sewerage facilities are provided in conjunction with the private water supply the tank shall have a capacity of at least 3,000 gallons.

(b) The tank shall be water-tight and where possible be of underground construction suitably protected from contamination by entrance of surface water ; the internal dimensions for a tank of 1,500 gallons capacity shall be not less than 10 feet x 6 feet x 4 feet liquid depth and for a tank of 3,000 gallons capacity, not less than 12 feet x 8 feet x 5 feet liquid depth ; the tank shall be fitted with an overflow at 4 feet or 5 feet, as may be appropriate, over floor level.

(c) If elevated, the tank shall not be constructed directly over any part of a dwelling-house and shall be covered with a suitable light roof of which at least a portion shall be capable of being opened for cleaning purposes. 

(d) Where concrete is used, the walls and floor of the tank shall be not less than 9" thick and the roof shall be of reinforced concrete not less than 4" thick ; all concrete shall be composed of one part of cement to two of sand and three of aggregate ; aggregate shall not exceed ¾" in diameter ; the reinforcing of the roof on the tank shall consist of ½" mild steel bars at 6" centres as the main reinforcing with ½' mild steel bars at 12' centres as the cross reinforcing, the steel being placed 1" from the bottom of the slab ; at least a portion of the roof shall be capable of being opened for cleaning purposes.

(e) Provision shall be made to ensure that the downpipe conveying water from the roof to the storage tank is brought direct to the storage tank and that a proper watertight connection is made between it and the storage tank.

6. Where rainwater collected from roofs is used as the main source of water supply an alternative supply suitable for drinking and cooking purposes shall be made available.

7. Connections to a public watermain shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the sanitary authority.

PART II

Constructional Requirements for Sewerage Facilities

1. Where adequate high-level water storage is not already available in the dwelling-house, or, in the case of a group installation, in each dwelling-house, the work shall include the provision and installation in the dwellinghouse or, in the case of a group installation, in each dwelling-house, of a high-level storage tank of capacity not less than 40 gallons, or not less than 80 gallons where a hot water system is available.

2. The fittings to the water closet shall be served by ½" diameter copper pipe.

3. Where a septic tank is to be provided--

(a) the tank shall be constructed in accordance with such plan as may from time to time be approved by the Minister and published by the Stationery Office or such other plan as may be approved by the Minister ;

(b) the tank shall be situated, if possible, on the downhill part of the site and shall not be less than 60 feet distant from any dwelling-house or public roadway ;

(c) the tank shall have walls and floor of 9" thick mass concrete, be watertight and have a minimum average liquid depth of 4 feet and a minimum liquid capacity of 450 gallons ; the width of the tank shall be the smallest practicable, normally 2' 6" ; the tank shall be provided with an inspection chamber at the inlet end and with inlet and outlet T pieces dipped not less than 1' 3" in the tank liquid ; the floor of the tank shall slope towards the inlet end ; the tank shall have a cover consisting of concrete slabs suitably reinforced and capable of removal for cleaning purposes ; ventilation holes with grids shall be provided in the roof over the T pieces ;

(d) the effluent shall be discharged through unjointed land drain pipes laid end to end to form an even gradient of approximately 1/180 over a drain filled with fine gravel ; the bottom of the drain shall be flat, to be achieved if necessary by benching ; 

(e) the drain from the house to the septic tank shall be at least 4" in diameter, laid with a minimum cover of 2 feet and at a gradient of approximately ¼8, and shall include a manhole for cleaning purposes ;

(f) satisfactory arrangements for the disposal of effluent from the septic tank shall be made, including provision to ensure that there is no risk of contaminating any water supply.

4. Connections to a public sewer shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the sanitary authority.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Local Government this twenty-ninth day of June, 1963.

NEIL T. BLANEY,

Minister for Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations regulat the making of grants, under sections 2 and 3 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962 , by the Minister and by sanitary authorities for the provision and installation in dwelling-houses of private water supplies and sewerage facilities.