Well water treatment in Co. Waterford

Private wells in Co. Waterford

The 2022 Census counted 7,502 households in Waterford city and county on a private well or other private source, 15.7% of homes and 22,388 people, up from 6,760 homes in 2016. That puts Waterford 9th of the 30 county and city areas. Group schemes are rare, 1,300 homes or 2.7%, and 79.0% are on public mains.

A household well is exempt from the drinking water regulations, so testing and treating it is down to the owner. The EPA advises a test at least once a year.

What's usually in a Waterford well

The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) figures below come mostly from council and group scheme sources sampled between 1998 and 2011, not household wells. Private wells in the same rock usually share the same water.

Soft, acidic water across most of the county

Outside the limestone valleys, the GSI found soft, acidic water dominates. The sandstone of west Waterford had a median hardness of 65 mg/L with pH generally 5.5 to 6.5, and the Knockmealdown rocks a median of 36.5 mg/L with pH 5.8 to 6.2. In the east, around Waterford city and Tramore, the water is moderately soft to slightly hard with pH 6.0 to 6.8. Because hardness, alkalinity and pH are all low, the GSI says the groundwater will be mildly corrosive in some cases. That's what eats copper pipe and leaves blue-green stains.

Hard water in the Dungarvan and Lismore valleys

The limestone floors of the east-west valleys are much harder, a median of 279 mg/L and a range of 99 to 342. Dungarvan measured 212 to 244 mg/L, the Lismore area 200 to over 400, and the Grange supply near Helvick Head 241 to 253.

Iron and manganese

The GSI reports occasionally high iron in the Old Red Sandstone and volcanic rocks, and says iron and manganese commonly occur in water from the sandstone and shale around the Knockmealdowns. See iron in well water.

Nitrate and bacteria

In 1998, 30% of the groundwater public supplies sampled showed contamination, mostly raised nitrate. Cappoquin was approaching 50 mg/L and went over it once, likely from fertiliser on the farmland around it. The EPA's report for 2020 to 2023 found that most of the groundwater monitoring points averaging over 25 mg/L of nitrate are in the south east and along the southern coast. On the karst limestone around Lismore and Dungarvan, the GSI warns that microbial pollution can travel very quickly from the surface into the groundwater, and it found significant faecal pollution at Poulnagunogue. See our guides to nitrates and bacteria.

What we usually fit in Waterford

Over most of the county, pH and iron come before any softener. The usual line, in this order, with any stage the report doesn't call for left out:

1. Sediment filter to protect everything after it.
2. pH correction if the report shows acidic water, likely on the sandstone and volcanic rock.
3. Iron and manganese filter if the report shows them.
4. Water softener in the Dungarvan and Lismore valleys. Across most of the county it often isn't needed.
5. UV disinfection if the report shows E. coli or coliforms, fitted last on the main line.
6. Reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap, which also takes nitrate out of the water you drink and cook with.

On mains water and only bothered by limescale? See our water softener page for Co. Waterford instead.

The well grant in Waterford

Waterford City and County Council runs the Well Grant for Private Water Supplies, with the application form and terms on its well grants page. A house connected to Uisce Éireann or a group water scheme doesn't qualify, and nor does one that has had a water supply grant in the past seven years. Bring the council your lab report and our itemised quote. Our guide to the private well grant covers the rest.