Uisce Éireann appeals to the public in Waterford to help reduce water use

Uisce Éireann is appealing to everyone in Waterford to be mindful of their use of water. Every drop counts, especially as we move into what is expected to be a warmer, drier period.

While recent weeks have brought cooler and wetter weather, water supplies in several parts of the country remain under significant pressure. 20 supplies nationally remain in drought status, and Uisce Éireann continues to monitor and manage these areas closely.

It would take several weeks of sustained rainfall to allow affected water sources to recover to normal levels. Latest forecasts indicate a likely return to warmer, drier weather from next week, which could further increase demand and place additional strain on already stressed supplies.

Tallow in Co. Waterford has moved to drought status, with nighttime restrictions in place to help maintain the daytime supply. Uisce Éireann is monitoring all supplies in the county closely, but supplies in Ballymacarbry, Cappoquinn, Grallagh and Clashmore are also at high risk of moving to drought status.

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Uisce Éireann is taking measures to maintain normal supplies through interventions such as tankering to reservoirs, implementing nighttime restrictions, and managing pressure.

Maura Phelan, Uisce Éireann Water Operations Manager in Waterford, said, “Although we’ve seen some welcome rainfall, the long-term effects of a dry autumn, winter, and spring are still being felt.

Many water sources in the county have not recovered to sustainable levels. On top of this, the recent spell of warm weather has led to an increase in demand across many of our supplies, putting further pressure on water supply.

We’re doing everything we can to protect and maintain supplies throughout the summer, but we’re also asking the public for their help by doing what they can to reduce their use. If everyone in Waterford takes a few simple steps to reduce the volume used around the home and garden, and in businesses we can make our water go further and help maintain normal supplies.”

By taking some simple steps to conserve water at home, in the garden and at work, everyone in Waterford can play their part in protecting the water supplies for their community.

These include:

• Leave the hose and power washer in the shed and use a watering can for the garden. Running a hose for one hour uses the same amount of water as a family needs for a full day.
• If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose or power washer.
• Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to a staggering 6 litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest 1 litre of water
• Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water compared to an average shower using 49 litres in seven minutes. Switch your bath to a shower for a massive water saving
• Less time: With the average shower using 7 litres of water per minute, turning your five-minute shower into a four-minute shower could save up to 7 litres of water per day.
• Fully loaded: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A modern washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water per cycle, while a dishwasher uses 20 litres. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water, but you will also reduce your energy bills

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To help people learn more about saving water, Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator so they can work out how much water they are currently saving and how they can conserve even more. The calculator is available at www.water.ie/calculator, where you can also find a range of useful water-saving tips.

Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann 24/7 at 1800 278 278 or via water.ie