Leitrim County Council is hoping to liaise with Trinity College in Dublin to progress a pilot system to improve the chances of people getting planning permission for new homes in the county.
The local authority is aiming to trial a zero discharge solution to percolation issues within the county.
Two separate motions came before Leitrim County Council's April meeting in light of a letter from Ballinaglera GAA club published last month which was critical of the difficulties facing people hoping to build homes in the parish.
87% of soils in Leitrim fail to meet EPA standards for effective waste percolation - with just a handful of new homes granted planning in the county each year.
Responding to the motions, the local authority outlined that new EPA guidelines coming into force in June will detail alternative treatment options such as drip dispersal or low-pressure pipe distribution and could help marginal sites gain permission.
The Council also says that it has been exploring a design that could result in zero discharge or near zero discharge of effluent for new homes but the cost of the system was deemed too prohibitive.
As a result, it is seeking to partner with Trinity College to develop a research program that could be funded by the EPA and if successful, will allow the pilot scheme to take place at a lower cost to the householder.
The Council admits however that due to the strict planning and environmental guidelines set down by the EPA, the problem which prevails is "not therefore one which is within the gift of the local authority to remedy."
They have also indicated that work is ongoing involving Councils in Longford, Cavan, Monaghan and Roscommon to examine other possible solutions such as a licencing system or possibly developing 'serviced sites' linked to the public drainage scheme.]
