Drinking water

Where does our drinking water come from? Depending on where you live, your water supply either comes from a public water supply operated by Uisce Éireann, or a private water supply such as group water schemes or your own household well.

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Find out about public water supplies

Public water supplies are managed by Uisce Éireann and regulated by the EPA

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Find out about household wells

There are many steps a householder can take to ensure that the water from your household well is clean and safe

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Take action on drinking water

Use our app to assess your well for contamination Find out how to test your well water

Drinking Water

Depending on where you live, your water supply either comes from a public water supply operated by Uisce Éireann, or a private water supply such as group water schemes or your own household well.

What's happening?

Tap at kitchen sink

What is the quality of drinking water in Ireland?

The EPA produces annual Drinking Water Reports for both Public and Private Supplies that provide an overview of the quality of drinking water.

Who does what?

Uisce Éireann is responsible for providing public water services and ensuring drinking water quality meets the standards in the Drinking Water Regulations.

The EPA is the drinking water quality regulator for public water supplies, responsible for enforcing the Drinking Water Regulations.

The Local Authorities are the drinking water regulators for private water supplies, responsible for enforcing the Drinking Water Regulations for group water schemes and businesses that have their own well. If you get your drinking water from a group water scheme you can find more information on the National Federation of Group Water Schemes website. 

The HSE is responsible for public health and must be consulted by Uisce Éireann where there is a failure to meet the standards in the Drinking Water Regulations, or where there is a public health risk.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is the economic regulator, responsible for ensuring that Uisce Éireann operates in an economical and efficient manner.

 

Public Supply Drinking Water Report

Private Supply Drinking Water Report

 

What's being done?

The EPA has identified the most important issues, which should be addressed on a national level, to protect and improve drinking water supplies. These are the national priorities for drinking water supplies:

  • Keeping water free from harmful bacteria (disinfection)
  • Minimising harmful disinfection by-products
  • Eliminating lead from pipework
  • Preventing pesticides from entering our waters
  • Managing risks to water supplies
  • Ensuring all water treatment plants are effective

Here's what you can do to make sure your drinking water is safe:

Drinking water Publications

in: Drinking Water
rural private water supply
Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2023

This report is an overview of the quality of drinking water in private group schemes and small private supplies during 2023. It is based on the assessment of monitoring results reported to the EPA by local authorities.

EPA Drinking Water Audit Reports

The EPA carries out audits at water treatment plants to ensure that public water supplies comply with the Drinking Water Regulations, and in response to drinking water quality failures or incidents

EPA Advice and Guidance

The EPA has published a number of information leaflets on how to protect our drinking water sources and guidance for drinking water suppliers on best practice for operating drinking water treatment plants.

FAQs about Drinking water

in: Drinking water

Uisce Éireann is responsible for the monitoring of public water supplies and Local Authorities are responsible for monitoring of group water schemes and regulated small private supplies.

Popular FAQ's

  • How far away should landspreading be from my well?

    Landspreading of organic or soiled water (e.g. slurry) is not permitted within 25 m of a private well/spring.  Furthermore, areas for the storage of farmyard manure, slatted sheds, slurry storage and silage clamps should be at least 50 m from a private well. The farmyard itself should be 15 m from the private well/spring.

    The Householder Information on Private Wells section of our website has detailed information and useful guidance, including frequently asked questions, in relation to protecting, testing, treating and maintaining your private well.

  • Where can I get my water tested?

    Your local authority Environment Section or the HSE Environmental Health Officer will be able to advise on a laboratory. Alternatively, you can get the name of a suitable private laboratory from the Goldenpages

  • My water looks and tastes great, does that mean it is safe to drink?

    No, it does not mean it is safe to drink. Some contaminants such as E. coli may not cause your water to be discoloured. It is advisable to get your well tested once per year (ideally during poor weather conditions).

    If your water is occasionally or frequently discoloured it may be an indication that your well is contaminated from time to time. It is advisable to get your well tested the next time it becomes discoloured and consider boiling that water until you are sure it is safe.

    Just because the usual householders are not getting sick, doesn't mean that the well is safe. Visitors may be more susceptible to low level contamination because they may not have developed immunity to the infectious organisms that may be in your well.

  • My well is contaminated what should I do?

    You should check your well to see if there are any obvious signs of contamination such as recent landspreading or cattle too close to your well. Protecting the catchment area of your well is one of the best ways to protect the quality of your water. You should also check to see is there any ingress of water into the borehole.

    If your well is contaminated with E. coli or Coliform Bacteria you should boil the drinking water from the well until you are sure it is safe to drink and cook with.

    You should sterilise your well (see How do I disinfect my well question) and see if this resolves the contamination (after retesting). If this is not successful in restoring the quality of your water you may need to consider improving the protection of your well and/or installing an appropriate treatment system. Once-off disinfection cannot replace a treatment system if your supply is always or often contaminated.

    If your well is contaminated with a chemical parameter you should contact your local authority for advice in the first instance.

    You may also consider connecting to a public or group water scheme.

  • What should I get my water tested for?

    It is most important to get your water tested for E. coli and Coliform Bacteria. The need for other tests depends on the location of your well and the appearance of your water. For example, if your well is in an agricultural area you may need to get it tested for nitrate or if it is slightly discoloured you may want to get it tested for iron and manganese. When making arrangements with the laboratory you should describe any concerns you have about your well water and they will be able to advise on what specific tests should be carried out.

    It is recommended that you test your well water at least once a year for microbiological contamination and every three years for chemical contamination.

Download infographics on Drinking water

infographic image for drinking water public supplies 2020
infographic on drinking water
Drinking water private supplies
infographic on private wells and contamination risks
Save water infographic
River to treatment plant
infographic on the steps in the drinking water supply process