Concern is growing across Dublin about the quality of drinking water following reports that two supplies in the capital are at least 10 times above the safe lead limits.
Dublin City Council's Leixlip supply has been found to be 11 times above the legal limits, while the Roundwood Reservoir for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown had 10 times the limit.
Some of the health concerns that can be brought about by high lead levels including harm to kidneys, high blood pressure and cancer.
Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said people in Dublin and Kildare are becoming "increasingly suspicious" about the supplies and feel they "cannot trust" their drinking water.
She said: “In a situation where a sample shows 11 times the allowable limit in the Leixlip plant - which serves a huge population across Kildare as well as North and West Dublin, it seems clear to me that an urgent investigation is required to assess how this happened and if it is a regular occurrence.
“People with small children, illnesses, or other concerns are being placed at real risk and it is worrying that such lead levels were present without any warning bells being triggered.
"Given recent high-profile controversies with the water supply, it is imperative that people are given an absolute assurance that they can trust the water supply that they rely on in their daily lives.”
