02-07-2025
Progress on removing lead from drinking water pipes 'far too slow', watchdog warns
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'.
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'The risk is greatest for young children, infants and babies in the womb,' Byrne said.
'Despite Ireland having a National Lead Strategy in place since 2015, progress to date has been far too slow,' he said.
'The legal limit for lead in our drinking water will halve in 2036 (from 10ugl to 5ug/l) – so much greater focus is needed by Government Departments and Uisce Éireann to remove lead from the supply network and public buildings.
'The EPA welcomes the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage commitment to review progress in 2025.'
The report also noted that there were 45 supplies serving 497,000 people on the EPA's list of 'at-risk' supplies (Remedial Action List) in 2024 for Uisce Eireann to address.
This was a decrease from 57 supplies serving 561,000 people) in 2023.
Additionally, there were 33 long-term boil water notices in 2024, down one-third from 2023 levels.
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