Engineers Ireland has said that Ireland's water supply and waste-water infrastructure is below standard and requires immediate investment.
In its 'State of Ireland 2016' report, water infrastructure got the lowest grading - a D.
However, water quality was graded a C.
The country's energy, communications, transport, waste and water infrastructure were examined.
The report recommends that Ireland "preserves a public water utility" and that it receives "adequate funding", to bring the water supply to the standards of a modern economy.
According to the report, the average age of a water main in Ireland is 75 years, and nearly half of all treated water is lost through leakage, twice the level of the UK.
It says "major and extensive upgrades" of the waste-water network is required to meet EU directive standards.
There are 45 locations in Ireland where sewage is being discharged untreated or with preliminary treatment only and 156 waste treatment plants do not meet requirements.
Irish Water previously identified that €5.5bn of capital investment was needed up to 2021, and the investment required to address all known deficits is estimated to be €13bn.
On climate change, the report highlights that Ireland is unlikely to achieve EU targets, which could result in significant fines.
Ireland intends to ask the European Commission to take a more "benign approach to capital investment into the green economy."
Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Denis Naughten, has said Ireland needs to make capital investment in the green economy but to do that flexibly is needed at European level.
Mr Naughten said there is no point in putting in the investment after 2020 when Ireland will already have been hit by penalties for failing to reach EU climate change targets.
The minister will be meeting Commissioner Arias Cañete to discuss the issue next week.
On broadband, the minister said he sees it as "the rural electrification of this generation."
"Every single home should have access to high speed broadband."
Asked if he would use an electric ministerial car, as recommended by Engineers Ireland, he said the car he chooses will be "the most energy efficient that is feasible to meet the needs I have as minister."
