Clare homeowners urged to check for lead piping

Irish Water is urging all homeowners in Clare whose houses were built before 1980 to check their internal plumbing for lead pipes.

Public drinking water supplies are lead free but lead, which poses a serious health risk, can dissolve in drinking water from internal lead pipes which are common in older homes and buildings.

Irish Water is confident that lead piping has been removed from the public water distribution mains but the utility estimates that approximately 180,000 homes in Ireland and hundreds of commercial and public buildings still have internal lead plumbing, including lead service pipes from the water main to the stopcock.

Of the homes affected around the country, about 40,000 are thought to have shared backyard (common service pipes) which Irish Water will be targeting the replacement of over the next five years.

Irish Water is issuing this advice as it launches an eight week period of public consultation on its draft ‘Lead in Drinking Water Mitigation Plan’ which runs until September 21 next.