Irish Water has clarified why it sent letters to some Co Wexford residents regarding householders themselves paying for pipes to be changed.
Some residents in the Bishopswater Estate received letters regarding lead piping in their area.
Irish Water has confirmed it did issue letters to a number of residents in the estate in relation to lead testing that had been carried out in the area.
The company said that where a property has lead service pipe work on the private side, there is a chance they may be non-compliant for lead, given a particular measurement of how much lead should or should not be allowed.
This may apply even if no lead exists on the public side.
Irish Water said that even where there is no public side lead pipe work, as long as there is private lead pipe work, there is a chance that there may be an exceedance for lead.
The company is operating a policy whereby if the homeowner replaces the private side lead pipe work, Irish Water will replace the public side lead service between the stopcock and the distribution main.
Water workers suspend action in Northern Ireland
Industrial action that has left thousands without water in Northern Ireland has been suspended, union leaders have announced.
The move comes after bosses at government-owned Northern Ireland Water tabled proposals to resolve the pensions row during late-night negotiations with union representatives at the Labour Relations Agency in Belfast.
Out-of-hours repair services had not been carried out as normal as the result of a work-to-rule by staff over proposed changes to their pension scheme, leaving thousands of homes cut off from water supplies.
Around 1,250 customers remained without water today but earlier in the week more than 9,000 lost supply.
Counties Fermanagh and Tyrone were the areas worst-affected by the problems, with customers having to collect water from temporary tanks, and some even being forced to boil snow.
Around half of NI Water's 1,260 workforce were engaged in the industrial action.
The dispute centred on NI Water's bid to roll out public sector pension reforms that have already been implemented in other state organisations in the region.
Staff resisted the moves, claiming their monthly pension contributions were set to soar.
Union representatives said the offer from management represented "significant progress" and, as a result, the action would be suspended pending a ballot of members.
Unite industrial officer Joanne McWilliams said: "The Water Group of Trade Unions is satisfied that sufficient progress has been made to allow us to consult with our members on the offer put to us.
"Shop stewards have agreed that the industrial action can be suspended to allow a consultation with members before conducting a ballot."
She said it would not be appropriate to share details of the offer until the ballot had been conducted.
"The immediate focus of our members today is to work to support NI Water in restoring services to customers across Northern Ireland, particularly in the west," she said.
