The Environmental Protection Agency’s latest Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2025 report highlights the continued high quality of Ireland’s public drinking water. Compliance with drinking water standards remained exceptionally high at 99.8% in 2025, while the number of public water supplies classified as “at risk” fell from 45 to 35. These are important indicators of progress and reflect continued investment in Ireland’s public water supplies.
The report also identifies areas where continued progress is needed to strengthen the resilience of drinking water services. During 2025, the number of boil water notices and water restriction notices increased, affecting almost 200,000 people. While these events affected a relatively small proportion of customers nationally, they can have a significant impact on the communities involved.
The Water Forum’s recent national survey of public water users provides valuable insight into how customers experience public water services. The survey found that 70% of respondents were satisfied with the quality of their drinking water, reinforcing the EPA’s findings on the high standard of public water supplies. Satisfaction was lower among customers who had experienced recent supply issues or disruptions, while respondents also expressed a strong interest in receiving more information about their local water supply, particularly drinking water quality.
Together, these findings show that public confidence is shaped not only by the quality of the water supplied, but also by people’s experience of the service they receive. High-quality drinking water provides the foundation, while resilient services, effective communication and accessible information help build confidence in the systems that deliver it.
Drawing on this research, the Water Forum recently published its Position on the Interests of Public Consumers, setting out recommendations to help further strengthen public confidence in drinking water services. Key recommendations include:
- Developing a Communications Strategy to strengthen public trust through improved communications, education and community engagement.
- Improving access to information on local water quality and strengthening public awareness of where drinking water comes from, how it is treated and how it is protected.
- Increasing transparency around security of supply to support understanding of future water resilience.
The EPA’s latest report demonstrates that Ireland continues to deliver drinking water of a very high standard. Building on this strong foundation will require continued investment in resilient infrastructure, alongside ongoing efforts to strengthen communication, public understanding and public trust in Ireland’s drinking water services.
For reference:
- National Survey on Public Water Users: Communications and Customer Service- see link
- Water Forum Position on the Interests of Public Consumers related to Customer Service, Communications and Public Trust- see link
- Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2025 | Environmental Protection Agency
