LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul 2022

STEPS TO CONSERVE water have been taken in a dozen areas at risk of drought during the soaring temperatures.

Irish Water has seen a noticeable increase in demand for water since the middle of last week, particularly in seaside resorts and agricultural areas.

It expects that demand will likely remain high throughout July and August.

Measures to conserve water are being implemented in 12 areas that are currently most at risk of drought:

• Bennettsbridge and Clogh Castlecomer in Kilkenny,
• Coalbrook in Tipperary,
• Clonaklilty, Roberts Cove, Whitechurch and Coppeen in Cork,
• Wexford Town and Bunclody in Wexford,
• Inis Oirr in Galway,
• and Swan in Laois.

Irish Water has implemented measures such as tankering and/or nighttime restrictions to protect the supply of water.

It is monitoring other areas, particularly Letterkenny in Donegal and parts of west Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

In Dublin, supplies are “healthy” but demand for treated water has increased an average of 4% in the last week. A programme of works in several treatment plants is trying to cater for the greater demand in the short to medium-term.

Head of Asset Operations Tom Cuddy said Irish Water “would like to thank the public for their support in conserving water and ask that they continue to conserve over the summer months”.

“It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference – and we can all play our part. By reducing the water used for example turning off the hose and avoiding power washing we can all help ensure there is enough water to for everyone as we go through the summer,” Cuddy said.

“To help people learn more about saving water we have developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator so they can work out how much water they are currently saving and how they can conserve even more,” he said.

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The calculator is available on the Irish Water website. 

“We will continue to monitor the levels at all our supplies over the coming weeks and months and take any actions that may be necessary to maintain supplies, including communicating about localised issues as they arise.”

Advice on conserving water in homes includes:

• Avoid power washing and keep the garden hose in the shed
• Check for leaks on outdoor taps or troughs as these can lead to large losses of treated water
• Remember that paddling pools and swimming pools can use huge volumes of water so consider reusing the water for the garden or cleaning the car.
• Report any visible leaks on the public network to Irish Water at water.ie or call 1800-278278. 
• Where householders experience very low flow or pressure, lower than neighbouring properties, they may have a service pipe leak. Irish Water’s First-Fix-Free Scheme can help with location and repair of external leaks. Details at water.ie or call 1800-278278