Domestic Lead Remediation Grant:
Is a grant for replacing lead piping located within the internal distribution system connected to a domestic water supply that serves a house.
‘Lead is recognized as a chemical of major health concern. There is a need to decrease human exposure to all sources of lead in the environment, including in drinking-water’. (W.H.O. - Lead in Drinking Water Technical Brief 2022).
Lead piping was commonly used in plumbing systems in Ireland up to and including the 1970s, some people may still be getting water through these systems. The most effective way to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water is to replace lead piping.
The Department of Housing Local Government & Heritage provide Grants through Local Authorities that helps households with the costs of replacing lead piping or related fittings located within the internal distribution system connected to a domestic water supply that serves a house, (this means any pipework that distributes water intended for human consumption that serves only one house).
How to qualify:
You must occupy the house concerned as your normal place of residence. If you are a long-term tenant of the property, you must have the permission of the owner to carry out the works.
The grant covers 100% of the qualifying work up to €5,000. If it costs less than €750 to replace the pipes you will not qualify for the grant. You can include the cost of getting proof from a laboratory or a registered building professional that you have lead pipes up to a maximum of €200.
In advance of applying for a grant, you must ensure that you have evidence of a requirement to replace lead pipes and related fittings to include with the application to your relevant local authority. This evidence must be in the form of a:
- notification from a water supplier (Uisce Eireann) advising that there is likely to be lead pipes and related fittings within the internal distribution system of the house concerned, OR
- certificate issued within the six months immediately prior to the date of application by a laboratory accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board, confirming a parametric value for lead in the drinking water supply to the house concerned, which exceeds the statutory limit, currently 10μg/l (10 micrograms per litre), OR
- notification from a *Registered building professional advising that there are lead pipes and related fittings located within the internal distribution system of the house concerned.
* Registered building professional must be registered as either of the following,
- An Architect on the register maintained by The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland under Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007.
- A Chartered Engineer on the register maintained by Engineers of Ireland (Charter Amendment) Act 1969.
- A Building Surveyor on the register maintained by Part 5 of the Building Control Act 2007.
How to apply:
The scheme is administered by Kildare County Council Rural Water Office on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The following procedure will apply to the processing of all grants under the Housing (Domestic Lead Remediation Grant) Regulations 2022:
- claims for payment should be submitted to Kildare County Council Rural Water Office.
- claims must be submitted on the DLRG 1a form. You can request this form from Kildare County Council Rural Water Office directly or download it from the Council website, see link to below.
- if assistance with completing the form is required, please contact Kildare County Council Rural Water Office.
- Kildare County Council Rural Water Office will subsequently advise you in writing (or via email) if the application is eligible (subject to terms and conditions) or ineligible
- once all required documentation, as detailed in the Terms and Conditions, have been received and verified, Kildare County Council Rural Water Office will endeavour to process the claim as quickly as possible
- Kildare County Council Rural Water Office reserves the right to make any enquiries it considers necessary, to verify information or supporting documents provided as part of a claim for grant aid, and may exclude from consideration for grant aid any applicant who supplies false or misleading information or documents
For further information, please contact the Rural Water Office of Kildare County Council, Environment Section, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare on
T: 045-980361 or E: ruralwater@kildarecoco.ie
NB: Lead pipes outside your property’s boundary:
If your drinking water comes through lead pipes that are outside the boundaries of your property, they must also be replaced. If you are a customer of Uisce Eireann and you plan to replace the lead pipes within your property’s boundary, you can also apply for Uisce Éireann's Customer Opt-In Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme. Under this scheme, Uisce Éireann will replace any lead pipes on the public side of your property’s boundary free of charge.
Uisce Eireann Website: https://www.water.ie/help/water-quality/lead-in-drinking-water
Other relevant information regarding Lead Remediation can be found at,
The Government Website:
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/6e885-domestic-lead-remediation-grant-scheme/
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7fe5d-domestic-lead-remediation-grant-scheme-customer-leaflet/
The HSE Website: