THE WATER RESTRICTIONS on the capital may be semi-lifted this evening, depending on the results of a water test today.

Dublin City Council are hoping to stagger the nightly cut-offs to parts of the city, “so that those areas most affected will only be cut off every second night”. Tonight the general advice is that pressure reductions and cut-offs will apply from 7pm to 7am tomorrow morning. On their website, Dublin City Council list the water systems which will be affected. The test today – which will tell the impact of  the large-scale public return to work after the festive season – may allow for some of these systems to escape cuts tonight.

The council are also making a special appeal that householders be wary of bogus callers to their homes. It says that council employees will always carry and produce identification when asked by a householder.

Dublin isn’t the only area affected by water restrictions. The excess of demand on reservoirs versus supply of water means there will still be overnight restrictions in north Cork, Limerick and some areas of the west.

• Cork County Council says that service to all of their water schemes has been restored – except in Mallow, where the public is being asked to check unoccupied dwellings, properties and farms for any leaks or breaks in the main waterpipes. The Council says:

The (Mallow) reservoir level is still low and interruptions will continue in the coming days due to excessive demand. However, most areas have an uninterrupted supply and all areas have a supply for some period daily. River valley, Cairn Woods and Tinley Park will be turned off again tonight in order to provide a supply to adjacent higher parts of the town in Spa Glen/ Ironmines area. The Gooldshill Estate area is still without a supply due to a break within that estate.

Tankers will supply water at Gooldshill, on the entrance road from the Cork Road and the Bowling Green car park from noon to 6pm today.

• A spokesperson for Limerick County Council’s water programmes said their engineers will be reporting back at around 3.30pm on the state of water leaks and supplies around the county, at which time they will make a decision on tonight’s restrictions.

Last night, a number of Limerick areas, city and county, were without water as listed here. An update will be posted at that page later today. Meanwhile, a boil notice remains in place on Kilmallock, Abbeyfeale and Newcastlewest.

• Clare County Council report that the demand for water is still exceeding supply capacity on some supplies around the county. A list of emergency standpipes and water tankers is available here. The Council’s emergency number to report major bursts and leaks in public areas is 087 4169496.
• Night-time restrictions are in place on supplies in Sligo in Ballymote, Coolaney, Ballinacarrow, Monasteraden, Gurteen and Ballintogher.
• Leitrim County Council have set up a hotline number to take messages and calls for urgent assistance from the public out of hours on 1890 302 302. There isn’t anyone answering the calls, but the council insists it is picking up messages and calling back as soon as possible.