More than 10km of asbestos pipes remain in Cork city

More than 10km of asbestos pipes remain in Cork city, Uisce Éireann has confirmed.

The utility has not said whether it plans to replace them.

An Uisce Éireann spokesperson has told Cork city councillors that approximately 1.8% of the city’s 600km water mains are cement-bound asbestos, equivalent to about 10.7km.

The highest concentration is in the Cork City South Central ward (4km), followed by the North West (2.2km), South East (1.9km), South West (1.7km), and North East (0.9km).

In 2020, more than 5,100km of asbestos water pipes were reported nationwide, with 22% located in Cork city and county — nearly double the proportion in the greater Dublin area.

The Echo asked if works to replace asbestos pipes have been completed since 2020 and whether a timeline for replacement is in place. 

Uisce Éireann said that ingesting asbestos through drinking water does not pose a health risk and that replacement works are not prioritised on that basis.

A spokesperson said: “In recent years, Uisce Éireann has accelerated mains replacement works in Cork city, with priority areas identified based on factors such as network condition, age, and operational performance, and addressed through a combination of mains replacement, targeted rehabilitation, and wider network improvements.

“Sustained and targeted investment will continue through Uisce Éireann’s capital programmes to ensure that higher-risk areas are prioritised, co-ordinating with other city works and all statutory obligations.” 

The spokesperson added: “There is no evidence to suggest that asbestos cement water pipes pose a risk to public health. 

"Asbestos is only hazardous when fibres become airborne, which is not the case when pipes are in normal operation within the water network."

The utility did not provide details of any plans or timeline for replacing the pipes.

The information was provided to Labour councillor Peter Horgan, who had asked how many kilometres of pipes in Cork city contain asbestos and whether there were plans to replace them.

“When repairs are required on older asbestos cement pipes, they are carried out by trained crews in line with strict health and safety procedures,” said the Uisce Éireann spokesperson. 

Mr Horgan told The Echo “a significant tract” of these pipes remain around the city, including 7.6km in the southside.

“We should have a dedicated, ringfenced asbestos pipe fund to ensure they are replaced as a matter of priority. We should remove all traces of asbestos — airborne or waterborne," he said.

“That is something that if Uisce Éireann were to seek funding for, it would surely not be opposed by central government.”