Irish Water plans to spend almost €400m on replacing lead pipes.

According to the Irish Examiner, the pipes will be stripped out over the next 10 years to help stop contamination.

The utility will publish a draft today of plans to remove lead from our drinking water.

The plans will be open for public consultation until September 2 and in the meantime those living in homes built before 1980 are being urged to check for lead.

Irish Water estimates that around 180,000 homes in Ireland and hundreds of commercial and public buildings still have internal lead plumbing.