Cork water: EPA's approval of Uisce Éireann action plan challenged in High Court

Residents are being 'misled' that clear water is safe, and manganese levels are above safety limits, according to the legal challenge

A photo contrasting bottled water and Cork tapwater which has often been discoloured since the inception of the new Lee Road water treatment plant. However, Friends of the Irish Environment say clear tapwater can also contain contaminants. File picture: David Creedon

A legal challenge over drinking water contamination in Cork has been launched against the Environmental Protection Agency. 

High Court proceedings have been entered seeking a judicial review of the EPA's approval of Uisce Éireann’s June 2025 Remedial Action Plan to address persistent contamination of Cork City’s public drinking water with what is claimed to be dangerous levels of manganese.