Irish Water is urging Clare homeowners to contact a plumber if they have any doubt over whether there's lead piping in their homes.
180,000 homes across the country built before 1980 potentially still have lead piping in their homes, which poses a serious health risk, particularly to pregnant women, young infants and children.
Irish Water will pay to replace the pipes outside, but homeowners have to pay to strip out the lead piping inside the property at a cost of up to 5,000 euro – though there is a Government grant available.
It's proposed that water would be treated with the chemical orthophosphate as an interim measure, a process currently underway in Limerick city and parts of South East Clare.
But Water Supply Strategy Leader, Mark McCaulay has told Clare FM's Morning Focus that the removal of piping remains the main priority.
