Well water treatment in Co. Wexford

Private wells in Co. Wexford

The 2022 Census counted 16,113 Wexford households on a private well or other private source, 27.3% of the county and the highest share of any county or city in the State, covering 48,223 people. That's up from 14,666 homes in 2016. Group schemes are small, 2,995 homes or 5.1%, and 66.2% 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 Wexford well

The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) has no county groundwater report for Wexford, so these figures come from its reports on public supply sources and groundwater bodies, not household wells.

Soft, acidic water

Much of central Wexford, around Enniscorthy and Gorey, sits on old volcanic rock and slate that gives low-mineral water. Carrigbyrne averaged 46 mg/L hardness and its pH was below the 6.5 minimum on 10 of 12 analyses, averaging 6.1. The GSI calls it mildly acidic water, probably from the silica-rich rock, and the public scheme treats it to correct the pH. The Edermine borehole near Enniscorthy measured 35 to 95 mg/L with pH 6.0 to 7.8, though the wider Enniscorthy area averages 135 mg/L, and Coolgreany in the north 65 to 103 mg/L with pH averaging 6.6. Acidic water slowly dissolves copper pipe, which shows up as blue-green stains and pinhole leaks.

Nitrate

At Edermine, average nitrate slightly exceeded the 37.5 mg/L threshold from 1999 to 2005, and at Coolgreany it averaged 37.8 mg/L, ranging from 26.4 to 45.6. The GSI blames intensive farming on free-draining soils, a common phenomenon in south east Ireland. The EPA's report for 2020 to 2023 also 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. Near tilled ground, ask the lab for nitrate. More in our nitrates guide.

Harder pockets, iron and manganese

Not all Wexford water is soft. Kilmuckridge sand and gravel gives hard water, 232 to 278 mg/L, and the Castlebridge limestone measured 217. Two other wells at Kilmuckridge are no longer used because of iron and manganese problems. See iron in well water.

Bacteria

Around Gorey the GSI found domestic and farm wastes have affected the groundwater, shown by elevated levels of bacteria. See bacteria in well water.

What we usually fit in Wexford

On most Wexford wells a softener isn't the first thing you need. 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, to protect copper pipe and brass fittings.
3. Iron and manganese filter if the report shows them.
4. Water softener only where the water is harder, such as Kilmuckridge or the Castlebridge limestone. On the soft volcanic water it's often not 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. Wexford instead.

The well grant in Wexford

Wexford County Council's well grants team runs the grant (wellgrants@wexfordcoco.ie), with the form and terms on its well grants page. The council pays only after the works have been paid for in full. 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.