More than 5,100km of asbestos water pipes in Ireland
There are more than 5,000 kilometers of asbestos water pipes in Ireland.
The substance can cause cancer if inhaled, but Irish Water denies that is the case if you consume it through drinking water.
Asbestos cement was commonly used to build truck mains from the 1950s to the 1980s, but it has not been used for that purpose in Ireland since that period.
But according to details released under the Freedom of Information, there are still approximately 5,000 kilometers of asbestos cement water mains throughout Ireland.
One-quarter of it is in Cork, which is nearly double the amount in greater Dublin.
Other counties with significant amounts are Donegal, Tipperary, and Kerry.
A number of these pipes have burst over the last number of years.
But Jack O'Sullivan, an environmental scientist, is calling for the utility to make sure they are in good order.
"Those asbestos pipes, to my understanding, would be between 50 and 70 years old," he said.
"And that's a long age."
Mr. O'Sullivan said that the "most important thing" Irish Water should do is to "carry out a risk assessment of the structural integrity of those pipes".
But Irish Water denies asbestos water mains are harmful to people's health.
It points out the World Health Organisation says asbestos can cause cancer if inhaled – but not if ingested through drinking water.