Progress on removing lead from drinking water pipes 'far too slow', watchdog warns

LAST UPDATE | 2 Jul

PROGRESS ON PROTECTING public health by getting lead out of water supply networks and homes is “far too slow”, the Environmental Protection Agency has warned.

Uisce Éireann needs to eliminate lead from drinking water networks, as well as ensure water is free of bacteria and chemical substances like pesticides.

In its 2024 Drinking Water Quality report, the EPA has said that the quality of drinking water from public supplies in Ireland remains very high overall, with more than 99.8 per cent of collected samples showing compliance with standards.

The EPA identified that good progress has been made in areas such as disinfection and completion of risk assessments. However, progress on removing lead from the supply network remains far too slow.

EPA Programme Manager Noel Byrne said that “lead in our drinking water is a cumulative risk to human health and must be removed from our supply network”.

Byrne said lead in drinking-water supplies must be removed as soon as possible. He said the legal limit will halve in just over ten years’ time, meaning a greater focus is “needed” by government and Uisce Éireann on the issue.

Water supplies serving almost half-a-million people are “at risk” of disruption and must be addressed by provider Uisce Éireann, the EPA also said.

While the number of people whose supply appears on the EPA’s remedial action list fell significantly last year, the agency said 45 centres serving 497,000 people require “robust treatment to guarantee their long-term resilience”.

Seven out of the 45 supplies have been included on the EPA’s list for the last two years. According to a water report, published today, a completion date for remedial works has yet to be provided by Uisce Éireann.

Lack of action led to the EPA issuing 20 legally binding orders, compelling Uisce Éireann to carry out future-proofing work on supplies included on the remedial action list. It said it took the action to ensure long-term improvements are carried out on time.

Overall, the report details that the quality of public water remains very high and the public should feel confident that the drinking supply at their homes is safe to drink. EPA Director Micheál Lehane said long-term investment is needed to boost resilience. 

He added: “Uisce Éireann needs to implement the findings of Risk Assessments to improve the resilience of supplies and maintain the quality of our drinking water.”

With reporting by Muiris Ó Cearbhaill