A hosepipe ban lasting 7½ weeks will come into effect for counties Waterford, Tipperary, Wexford and Cork from this Saturday. The ban, which lasts until September 16th, excludes Cork city.
Uisce Éireann said “a significant number of supplies” countrywide remain under pressure and has appealed to all its customers to be mindful of their water use.
There are three water conservation orders, or hosepipe bans, in place for Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Milford, Co Donegal and Kells-Oldcastle, Co Meath.
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The orders prohibit the use of garden hoses and other “non-essential uses” of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, such as watering gardens attached to a business premises.
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The latest ban has been issued in an attempt to safeguard supplies for essential purposes after a sharp increase in demand across the four counties since the start of the summer.
“This has put increased pressure on rivers and other water sources supplying these areas, many of which are at historically low levels following a drier than normal autumn, winter and spring,” said Uisce Éireann.
“In recent weeks, Uisce Éireann has been putting in place a number of measures to maintain and protect these supplies, including enhanced leakage repair works, tankering to reservoirs, pressure management and public water conservation campaigns in an effort to reduce demand to sustainable levels.”
Uisce Éireann asset strategy manager Mairead Conlon said the utility’s priority was to protect supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services.
“The past 12 months have been drier than normal when compared to the long-term average,” she said.
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“And while recent rainfall has brought some respite, it will take much longer for all our supplies to recover. The situation is compounded by recent increased demand in the south of the country, which is associated with warm weather, and other factors such as tourist activity in some areas. As a result, we have almost 50 supplies which are currently in drought status.”
Ms Conlon added that as late summer approaches, warmer weather creates a surge in demand for water, for gardening, leisure and other purposes.
“Using a hosepipe for one hour is the equivalent of the daily water usage of an average family and this is generally a non-essential use of water,” she said.
“We are asking everyone to play their part in conserving water and reporting leaks to help alleviate the pressure on our water supplies.”
