Kilteel Under A "Do Not Consume" Water Notice For Five Years

A local councillor says 66 families are still confined to using bottled water there

A Naas councillor has slammed Uisce Éireann as a nearby area continues to be under a "do not consume" water notice.

According to Fine Gael's Fintan Brett, the notice in Kilteel has been in place for five years, adding that 66 families are still confined to using bottled water.

It follows his motion to the Council earlier this month at an MD meeting, asking for updates on progress for the Kilteel Group Water Scheme
(GWS) replacement scheme.

Cllr Brett said the locals there built their own water supply in 1963, and have been affected by an "arsenic contamination" that has had an impact on the water supply.

KCC issued a lengthy statement in response, explaining exactly what steps have been taken to address the problems.

It cited an Uisce Éireann statement issued in February in response to KCC Rural Water following the Pre-Connection Enquiry application (submitted to UÉ in July 2025), seeking to connect the area to the public water network.

Kildare Rural Water then submitted the Connection Application with supporting documentation to Uisce Éireann in May 2026.

Following a survey of 150 properties there, 76% of households said they were interested in availing of a public water connection should it pass
their property.

Despite the utility initially outlining that a water connection was "feasible", it then said in October that "at this stage", a connection to its infrastructure is "not feasible" at either of the two previously discussed locations (Rathmore East Pumping Station or Broguestown Pumping Station).

Instead, the connection is required to be taken from an existing 200mm spur off the 1600mm Ballymore Eustace to Saggart trunk main.

It added that this revised connection location increases the required interconnecting pipeline length by approximately 2.25km.

Another meeting later last month detailed a UÉ response to Kilteel GWS TIC Connection Application submission, outlining "some further scope of works" associated with the agreed “least-cost solution”, which has been discussed and agreed in principle at the recent meetings between KCC RW and Uisce Éireann.

The utility says this approach will allow the GWS to connect to the existing UÉ network, subject to conditions, adding that the project is subject to standard Taking in Charge Conditions for privately supplied Group Water Schemes connecting to the water network.

KCC did admit that the planning stage of this project "has experienced delays arising from a combination of factors", including evolving connection requirements and project scope, the need for clarification from Uisce Éireann, the increasing complexity and scale of the proposed works, and staff resource issues and the limited capacity within Kildare Rural Water to effectively manage all Rural Water responsibilities within County Kildare.

KCC Rural Water said the project should now appoint a consultant on behalf of Kilteel GWS to undertake pre-design activities, detailed design, procurement support, and associated project development works.

It is anticipated that this process can be progressed over the coming months, subject to approval to bring this project’s previously allocated funding into the new Capital Funding Programme for the Rural Water Sector 2027-2029

Despite the perceived progress outlined by the Council, Cllr Brett criticised UÉ's lack of work done to address the issue, remarking that they "have been distant", while speaking on Kildare Today.

"I don't like complaining but Uisce Éireann have been distant on that [issue] and there seems to be no understanding of the hardship that all those families have suffered.

"They really need to step up and play a more proactive role in solving this problem, the people up there [in Kilteel] don't want nothing for nothing, through no fault of their own they're being denied water," he added.

Uisce Éireann have been contacted for a statement in relation to this.

The full interview with Cllr Brett can be heard below: