The Environmental Protection Agency says half a million people are in "at-risk" areas with higher lead levels in their drinking water.
It's calling for Uisce Eireann to speed up its efforts to remove lead pipes from the system.
In it's latest report shows Enniscorthy, Wexford Town and Limerick City are among those in "at-risk" areas.
Noel Byrne, Programme Manager with the EPA, says efforts to remove lead are too slow.
"Lead in our drinking water is a cumulative risk to human health.
"Progress to remove lead from our drinking water supply networks, public buildings, and affected homes is far too slow.
"The EPA welcomes the expansion of the lead remediation grant scheme, which will ease the financial burden on homeowners to replace lead piping.
"However, leadership is required at national level to address lead in public supplies.
"Uisce Éireann must accelerate the rollout of their lead mitigation plan and Government departments must outline their plan for lead replacement in public buildings as part of the National Lead Strategy.”
Recent Findings
According to the EPA, some key findings of the 2022 report on public water supplies are as follows:
- 99.96 per cent of samples comply with microbiological parameter limits.
- 99.62 per cent of samples comply with chemical parameter limits.
- 58 supplies were on the EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL) at the end of 2022, compared to 52 at the end of 2021.
- 79 boil water notices and 10 water restrictions were in place in 2022, affecting almost 191,000 people.
- 25 of those boil water notices were in place for more than 30 days, meaning they are classed as long-term notices requiring investment in infrastructure to address.
- E. coli bacteria was detected in three supplies, compared to four supplies in 2021.
- Trihalomethanes (THM) limits were exceeded in 45 supplies, compared to 58 in 2021.
- Pesticides limits were exceeded in 17 supplies, compared to 31 in 2021.
- The EPA issued 14 Directions (legally binding instructions) to Irish Water in 2022.
The EPA has identified the following priorities for Irish Water to address on a national level to protect and improve public water supplies:
- Progressing action programmes for all Remedial Action List schemes;
- Ensure that water is free of bacteria;
- Ensure that water is free of protozoan organisms;
- Ensure that water is free of chemical substances (trihalomethanes and pesticides);
- Ensure that water treatment plants are operated correctly;
- Eliminating lead from our drinking water networks;
- Managing risks to our public water supplies by adopting Drinking Water Safety Plans for all supplies.
The Remedial Action List (RAL) is a register of public water supplies that are in need of corrective action.
The EPA requires Irish Water to complete an action programme for each supply on the list.
When Irish Water has shown that the issue has been fixed, a supply can be removed from the list.
The EPA updates the Remedial Action List twice per year.
On the latest list in the region:
Carlow: Carlow North Regional Water Supply
Tipperary: Borrisokane, Clonmel Poulavangoue, Galtee Regional, Kilcash, Nenagh Regional, Roscrea, Templetuohy Water Supplies
Kilkenny: Callan, Kilkenny City (Radestown), Pilltown-Fiddown Water Supplies
Waterford: Graiguenamanagh, Dungarvan, Kereen Water Supplies
Wexford: Clondroche, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town Water Supplies
For more information visit www.epa.ie.
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