WITH TEMPERATURES SET to climb towards 30 degrees in parts of the country this week, Uisce Éireann is urging households and businesses to continue conserving water as demand remains exceptionally high.

The utility says water is being used faster than it can be replaced in some areas, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area where daily consumption has reached around 680 million litres on warm days, roughly 40 million litres above the year-to-date average.

While a hosepipe ban is already due to come into effect in parts of Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Wexford and Tipperary later this week, Uisce Éireann says there are plenty of smaller changes that can also make a difference.

One of the easiest is to think twice before pouring water away. That half-finished glass that’s gone warm in the sun can be tipped into a flower pot rather than the sink, while water from a paddling pool can be covered and reused the following day before eventually being used on plants or the garden.

Garden watering itself can also be done more efficiently. Rather than using a hose or sprinkler, Uisce Éireann recommends using a watering can, and doing so early in the morning or later in the evening when less water is lost through evaporation.

Uisce Éireann is also encouraging people to avoid letting taps run unnecessarily.

Filling a jug of water and keeping it in the fridge means there’s no need to leave the cold tap running while waiting for drinking water to cool, while turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can save up to six litres of water every minute.

Around the home, it recommends only running dishwashers and washing machines when they’re full, choosing a shower over a bath where possible and checking for dripping taps or leaking toilets, which can quietly waste large amounts of water over time.

With more people washing cars during the sunny weather, swapping a hose for a bucket and sponge can also save hundreds of litres of water.

Margaret Attridge, Uisce Éireann’s head of water operations, thanked households for the efforts already being made, saying those “everyday actions really do help, especially during busy summer periods when supplies can come under pressure”.

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The utility said its crews continue to monitor supplies, repair leaks and manage the network around the clock, with overnight restrictions currently in place on a number of water supplies in counties including Tipperary, Donegal, Kerry and Meath.

It is also reminding people not to swim in reservoirs, warning that while they may appear calm during the hot weather, they remain operational sites with extremely cold water, hidden currents and underwater hazards.

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