Irish Water have issued an appeal to the Waterford public to reduce their water usage where possible, as a number of schemes are experiencing significant pressure.
It comes as the county finds itself under a status yellow weather warning at present, with temperatures generally 27 to 30 degrees Celsius with overnight values not falling below 17 to 20 degrees.
As a result, the Ballymacarbry and Kill/Bunmahon/Annestown schemes are experiencing increased demand.
Irish Water is continuing to urge the public to conserve water to ensure a consistent supply for all. Due to the dry weather and high temperatures, water source levels are dropping. Irish Water, together with Waterford City and County Council, is working hard to maintain supplies.
Niall O’Riordan, Irish Water’s Operations Lead for Waterford said:
“The current extra demand, combined with reduced capacity, is not sustainable across Waterford City and County. We are appealing to everyone to be mindful of this and reduce water consumption as much as possible. All supplies across the city and county are seeing increased demand. The households, farms and businesses served by public water supplies across Waterford City and County are asked to reduce water usage as much as possible. Particular schemes under the most pressure at present include the Ballymacarbry and Kill/Bunmahon/Annestown Schemes.
Everyone can contribute and the combination of effort will greatly help our ability to provide a continuous water supply to all. There is guidance and tips for conserving water available on www.water.ie/conservation.”
Small changes can have a significant impact, for example:
- Take a shorter shower and save up to 10 litres of water per minute
- Fix dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home
- When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap and save up to 6 litres of water per minute
- Save and reuse water collected from baths, showers, and hand basins in the garden
- Avoid using paddling pools
- In the garden use a rose head watering can instead of a hose and aim for the roots
- If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose
- Report any leaks to Irish Water at 1800 278 278.
