AS we come into summer, Uisce Eireann is pleading with households and business to be mindful of their use of water supplies facing major pressure.
And homeowners in three rural towns have had their hosepipe ban extended for a further seven more weeks due to falling reservoir levels.
Water supplies remain under significant pressure across Ireland[/caption]
All of Ireland has seen lower than average rainfall in the past 12 months, with drier than normal weather hitting since April.
Despite a small break in the last couple of weeks where heavy showers emerged briefly, it could take several weeks of sustained rainfall for affected water sources to recover to normal levels.
But the latest forecast indicates that it will be mostly dry next week with sunny spells and just isolated showers.
Uisce Eireann confirmed that a Water Conservation Order will remain in place for another seven weeks in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Milford, Co Donegal, and Kells-Oldcastle, Co Meath.
Hosepipe bans were introduced in these areas in early May.
And the ban is now set to remain in place until after the August Bank Holiday.
Officials said that another 21 supplies remain in drought status across the country.
Uisce Eireann added that they are monitoring and managing these areas closely.
Margaret Attridge, Head of Water Operations at Uisce Éireann said: “Although we’ve seen some welcome rainfall, the long-term effects of a dry autumn, winter and spring are still being felt.
“Some water sources have not recovered to sustainable levels, and so extending the water conservation order is necessary to protect these vulnerable supplies.
“Nationally there are 21 locations across the country which remain in drought status across counties Westmeath, Donegal, Meath, Cork, Clare, Galway, Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Offaly and Laois.”
The Water Conservation Order was previously issued on May 6 and will remain in place until August 4.
The Water Conservation Order prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, for example watering gardens attached to a business premises.
HOUSEPIPE BAN
The temporary ban include the use of water drawn through a hosepipe or similar device for the purpose of:
- Watering a garden
- cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a domestic hosepipe
- cleaning a private leisure boat
- filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool (except when using hand-held containers filled directly from a tap)
- filling or maintaining a domestic pond (excluding fish ponds)
- filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain (with the exception of such use for commercial purposes)
- filling or replenishing an artificial pond, lake or similar application.
This Order has been issued in a bid to safeguard these water supplies for essential purposes.
This is necessary due to a sharp drop in water levels at the sources supplying these areas following a dryer-than-average autumn, winter and spring.
Uisce Eireann are asking everyone to play their part in conserving water and reporting leaks to help alleviate the pressure on water supplies.
There are tips for conserving water on water.ie but the key messages are to leave the hose and the pressure washer in the shed, reuse household water for the garden; and take shorter showers.
They are calling on every- one to play a part so we can maintain supplies into the summer.
