Irish Water reviewing need for Dublin water restrictions

Irish Water will review levels in its reservoirs on Tuesday and assess whether there is a need continue Dublin water restrictions.

The utility said no water restrictions were necessary last week and a full supply was maintained for the St Partick’s Day festivities.

However it said its ongoing repair programme in the greater Dublin area will continue in some places until May.

Irish Water has been engaged in a major programme of repairs since Storm Emma and sub-zero temperatures caused pipes to fracture across the network. Following the big freeze the utility said its Dublin area reservoirs were 70 million litres lower than they needed to be.

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While the repair programme was said to be successful it is expected to be ongoing for “some time to come” and Irish Water recently said problems will persist in some areas until April and May.

Demand on the Dublin network, which serves 1.2 million people, has been 590 million litres per day recently.

A problem with an algal bloom in the Vartry reservoir, near Roundwood in Co Wicklow, has also contributed to the restricted supply in Dublin.

Outside of Dublin, the Fethard public water supply in Co Tipperary is due to be back up and running on March 19th.

Dublin suffered with a network which is on average 80 years old. This, together with increased demand, has forced authorities to reduce pressure overnight in the immediate aftermath of the storm and freeze.

At one stage in recent weeks there were 22 local authority and contract specialised detection crews out across the greater Dublin area in recent days and 26 repair crews “prioritising the most significant bursts and leaks”.

The results of the assessment are expected later on Tuesday.