About AMEND
A Citizen Science research to Unlead Irish Water
Our Funders
We are proud to be funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the national foundation for investment in scientific and engineering research in Ireland. Established to advance the country’s research capacity, SFI supports outstanding projects that promote discovery, innovation, and impact. By investing in academic researchers and teams, SFI aims to drive economic and societal progress through science and engineering.
Our project, AMEND, is funded under SFI's National Challenge Fund, specifically the Healthy Environment for All challenge. This programme supports pioneering research that addresses critical environmental and health challenges, aiming to create a safer, healthier future for communities. SFI’s support through this targeted fund empowers us to focus on innovative solutions for pressing issues, enhancing the reach and impact of our work.
Background to AMEND
Unleading Water is a citizen science project being undertaken by researchers in UCD and Dundalk IT. The aim of this project is to improve the health of Irish residents through improving their home environment by overcoming the barriers to removing lead pipes. This transdisciplinary project will build off a pilot study from Belfast (NI) that found that a combination of community-engagement, citizen science, and public awareness campaigns can improve the public understanding of home health hazards and influence policy around home lead pipe replacement. The objectives are fourfold:
(1) to increase awareness of home health hazards (lead) through workshops and awareness campaigns,
(2) increase the Irish resident’s agency to combat these hazards through citizen-science (home water testing) and involvement with policy development (workshops and photovoice),
(3) identify barriers for remediation programs (focus groups and surveys) and increase data on home health hazards (participatory mapping),
(4) Update policies to protect those most-at-risk and reduce the downstream economic, social, and healthcare costs associated with lead exposure and
(5) lay the foundation for a network of researchers, policy-makers, and community organizations focused on making the Irish home healthier.