Homeowners face €5k bill to remove lead pipes

People will have to pay up to €5,000 to rid their homes of poisonous lead piping despite the HSE branding the situation so dangerous they have urged mothers to breastfeed rather than give their babies the contaminated water.

Grants to cover part of the costs for some of the 200,000 householders affected were branded inadequate by opposition TDs who warned water charges meant many people would be paying twice over for a drinkable supply.

HSE assistant national director, health protection, Kevin Kelleher said: “If people are aware that their house may have lead or know it to have lead then they certainly should not be using that water to feed their young children or pregnant women, and certainly not to use bottle feed. And actually this is a very good reason to promote breastfeeding, if you breastfeed, it is not a problem.