WATER RESTRICTIONS ARE set to continue into the new year across Ireland, local authorities have warned.

Restrictions remain in place in every county, despite the thaw. The Irish Times reports that the Department of the Environment’s principal adviser on water services, Gerry Galvin, said that numerous small leaks are combining to create a big problem.

He urged householders to check for leaks and also said that people should check on premises that may have been closed over the Christmas period.

Meanwhile, pub and restaurant owners across the country are concerned that the restrictions may be extended over New Year’s Eve – one of the busiest nights of the year. Local authorities are currently debating whether this will be necessary, a scenario which the Restaurants Association of Ireland has described as an “absolute disaster” for businesses.

In Northern Ireland, the crisis has left some 36,000 homes without running water. Some families have been without water for 12 days, RTÉ reports.

Scotland has provided 160,000 litres of bottled water to households in need.

For more information, visit your local authority’s website:

Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Meath County Council,Westmeath County Council, Galway County Council, Sligo County Council, Clare County Council, Cork County Council, Cork City Council, Kerry County Council, North Tipperar County Council,South Tipperary County Council, Limerick County Council, Kilkenny County Council, Waterford County Council.