WATER SUPPLIES are being disrupted all over the State as local authorities warn of water shortages because of dwindling reservoir supplies and burst pipes.
Some local authorities are reducing pressure at off-peak times and have warned of disruption to supplies in the coming days as leaks are expected when the thaw causes the ground to shift.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley said reservoir supplies had run “dangerously low” in some places and he urged people to conserve water.
He said a “very serious situation” had developed because people had been leaving their taps running at night to avoid the prospect of frozen pipes.
“We have difficulties in Dublin, Cork, Sligo, Leitrim and North Tipperary,” he said. However, the problem became more widespread after he made his comments, with councils all over the State warning of supply disruption.
Dublin City Council said problems with water supply were “extensive and widespread”. Demand for water increased by 25 per cent at the weekend, and had exceeded 624 million litres yesterday.
A city council spokesman said it was impossible to say how many householders had been affected but six water tankers were providing water around the city yesterday. He said 80 per cent of burst water mains were below the ground so it took some time before the problems were detected. He said it could take five or six months to fully repair the system.
South Dublin county council said demand was outstripping supply by 15 per cent yesterday and it reduced water pressure in order to maintain supplies.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said it was implementing a series of water conservation measures after a 26 per cent rise in the demand for water since the bad weather began.
Cork City Council said water supply had been interrupted in a number of areas, due to low pressure across the network.
City manager Joe Gavin said the demands on the system had compromised supply to a number of vulnerable facilities, including the Mercy Hospital. Clare County Council shut off public water supplies at several locations yesterday and said water supplies would be affected between 8pm and 8am in many areas and from 11pm to 6am in parts of Ennis.
Leitrim householders have been experiencing disruption to their supply since before Christmas.
In Galway city reservoirs are very low with cuts in supply reported in Loughrea, Rosmuc, Moycullen and Gort. Galway County Council has provided tankers for emergency supplies.
Water supplies have also been disrupted, or are under threat, in counties such as Sligo, Donegal, Wexford, Meath and Limerick.
Meanwhile, Mr Gormley said the pressure on salt and grit supplies had eased as road conditions improved in many parts of the State yesterday. “The salt situation is now less critical and the position in relation to supplies for the coming week is okay,” he said.
The National Roads Authority said it was expecting the delivery of 10,000 tonnes of salt this week, including the 3,500 tonnes that arrived yesterday. From last weekend a further 40,000 tonnes was expected which would bring local authority supplies to seasonal level, a spokesman said.
Turn it off: tips for saving water
- Only use washing machines when you have a full load
- Only use dish washers when absolutely full or not at all
- Take a shorter shower
- Do not use power showers
- If you have a modern toilet flush facility use it properly
- Do not leave the tap running when brushing your teeth
- Do not leave your tap running before filling your kettle
Source: Dublin City Council