Nighttime restrictions on Inis Oírr lifted as supply levels recover

Uisce Éireann wishes to advise customers on Inis Mór and Inis Meáin that essential overnight water restrictions which were in place on the public water supplies on both Islands have now been lifted.

Water restrictions were in effect on Inis Mór and Inis Meáin nightly between 11pm and 7am throughout the summer months in order to conserve low water resources on the islands.

The restrictions were in place to safeguard water supplies on both islands after a combination of sustained high demand, driven by increased visitor numbers, and low rainfall levels led to a significant reduction in treated water supplies.

Leo O’Shea of Uisce Éireann said: “Water supply levels on both Inis Mór and Inis Meáin have recovered and are currently sufficient to ensure a continuous water supply. As a result, the overnight water restrictions on Inis Mór and Inis Meáin have now been lifted. However, water restrictions remain in place on Inis Oírr nightly between 11pm and 7am in order to conserve the low water resources on the island. Uisce Éireann will continue to closely monitor supplies on all three islands and will provide updates as necessary.

“We acknowledge the inconvenience that can be caused by nighttime restrictions, and we would like to thank residents, businesses and visitors to the islands for their conservation efforts during the period of the restrictions.”

Uisce Éireann is committed to keeping customers informed across multiple platforms 24/7 and we encourage customers to engage with us through our website, X channels @IWCare and on Facebook and LinkedIn and through our customer care helpline which is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.

Below are some simple water-saving tips everyone can follow, to help protect supplies:   

• Leak free: Check that your home is leak free. Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes.
• Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to six litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest one litre of water.
• Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water, while a seven-minute shower uses just 49 litres. Switching to showers can save a significant amount of water.
• Drop the hose: Drop the hose and use a rose head watering can to water your plants, instead of a hose or sprinkler.
• Install a water butt: Use it to collect rainwater from your gutters for gardening or washing the yard.
• Drinking troughs: On the farm, watch out for overflowing drinking troughs as they can waste significant amounts of water. Adjust the ball valves to lower the float or replace faulty parts.
• 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.
• Don’t flush it all away: A third of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. Some larger cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush. Place a displacement device into the cistern (out of the way of moving parts) to save water.

To access the water conservation calculator or find out more about water conservation tips, visit the Conservation section of our website.

Uisce Éireann is appealing to customers on the three Oileáin Árann to conserve water where possible, as supplies of treated water on all three islands remain under significant strain. 

Nighttime restrictions are being introduced on Inis Meáin from this evening (Thursday) in order to protect daytime supply. These will be in place from 7pm this evening until 7am in the morning and will remain in effect for a week, after which they will be reassessed.

The restrictions are being introduced in response to a burst on a water main yesterday, which led to a significant fall in the island’s reserves of treated water. This burst has now been repaired.

Restrictions also remain in effect on both Inis Mór and Inis Oírr. The restrictions on Inis Mór are in effect nightly from 5pm to 9am, while on Inis Oírr restrictions are in place from 11pm until 6am nightly.

Leo O’Shea of Uisce Éireann said the restrictions remain necessary in order to ensure a full continuous daytime supply.

“Rainfall levels on the islands have not recovered at the same rate as on the mainland, and despite visitor numbers on the islands having fallen in recent weeks, the treated water supplies of all three islands have not yet recovered to normal levels,” said Leo.

“This issue has been exacerbated on Inis Meáin in the last 24 hours as a result of the burst main. We are introducing nighttime restrictions on Inis Meáin for the first time this summer in order to safeguard the daytime supply for homes, businesses and essential services on the island.”

Uisce Éireann would like to thank customers on the Oileáin Árann for their support as work continues to ensure continuity of water supply for all.

Simple steps taken at home, on farms, in gardens, and in businesses can make a real difference in protecting supplies during this period. Water conservation tips and advice are available on the Conservation section of our website.

Members of the public can report leaks in the public water network by calling 1800 278 278 or online through the Report a Leak section of our website.

Uisce Éireann's customer care team is available 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries.

For further updates, visit the Water Service Updates section of our website.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours. To register for additional support, visit our Vulnerable Customers page.