en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated in its 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report that while overall compliance of public water supplies is good, 35 public water supplies remained on the Remedial Action List by the end of the year. These "at risk" supplies require Uisce Éireann to complete upgrades as soon as possible to ensure consumers receive safe and reliable drinking water.
The report shows that 10 "at risk" supplies were resolved in 2025, reflecting continued progress by Uisce Éireann in upgrading drinking water treatment infrastructure. Patrick Byrne, Director of the EPA's Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring, stated that the quality of public drinking water remains high, and people can confidently drink their household water. He also emphasized that while the reduction in the number of "at risk" supplies is welcome, audits and enforcement actions still found some supplies unable to guarantee safe and reliable drinking water. Uisce Éireann must allocate the necessary resources to complete upgrades to protect public health.
When safe drinking water cannot be provided due to contamination or inadequate treatment, Uisce Éireann must impose water restrictions to protect human health. In 2025, a total of 100 supplies affected nearly 200,000 consumers, involving boil water notices or water restriction notices, an increase from 84 in 2024. Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, expressed concern, stating that while these restrictions are necessary, they cause inconvenience to consumers and highlight deficiencies in water treatment resilience. He emphasized that Uisce Éireann must improve the robustness of water treatment plants to cope with weather changes, raw water quality fluctuations, or treatment process failures, in order to avoid water restrictions and, when restrictions are unavoidable, respond quickly to restore compliant supply.
Additionally, the report highlights broader challenges facing the water network, including leakage levels and lead pipe replacement. Data shows that 36% of treated water is lost daily due to leaks, while consumers remain at risk of lead exposure in drinking water due to lead in pipes. The EPA calls on Uisce Éireann and other stakeholders to take further action to address these issues.
