County Wide Water Conservation Order for Cork will lapse on 16 September 2025
Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section
Uisce Éireann can confirm that the Water Conservation Order (WCO), commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, for Cork County will lapse on 16 September 2025.
Uisce Éireann is encouraging the public in County Cork to continue conserving water as we move into the Autumn months. We would like to sincerely thank the people of Cork for their strong support and cooperation throughout the summer. The community’s efforts to reduce water usage and report leaks have been instrumental in protecting local supplies during a period of unprecedented pressure.
However, while restrictions may be lifted, Uisce Éireann is urging everyone to remain vigilant and continue using water wisely.
Several supplies across the county remain in drought, including Ballincurrig/ Lisgoold, Dursey Island, Kilnagorteen, Nohoval and Whitechurch, which are currently being supplemented by tankered water. Clonakilty also remains in drought.
“We’re extremely grateful to the people of Cork for their efforts to conserve water over the summer,” said Brian O’Leary, Regional Operations Manager at Uisce Éireann. “Now that the hosepipe ban is lifted, it’s more important than ever that we don’t lose momentum. Many supplies across the county remain under pressure, and while the weather is changing, it will take time for our sources to fully recover. In fact, well levels in several areas have shown no signs of improvement, and tankering remains essential to maintain supply".
“We’re doing everything we can to protect and maintain water supplies, but we also need the public’s continued support. Even small changes in how we use water can make a big difference.”
Below are some easy water-saving tips:
- Turn off the tap: Brushing your teeth with the tap running wastes up to six litres of water per minute. Turning it off while brushing can reduce that to just one litre.
- Switch to a shower: Showers use about half the amount of water as baths. Invest in water saving appliances such as water efficient taps and shower heads.
- Shorter showers: With the average shower using seven litres of water per minute by turning your five-minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to seven litres of water per day!
- Fully load your appliances: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machine are fully loaded before use. A typical washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water, and a dishwasher uses around 20 litres per cycle. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water, but you will also reduce your energy bills.
- Leave the hose in the shed: Drop the hose and use a rose head watering can water your plants instead of a hose or sprinkler. Running a hose for just one hour uses as much water as a family would typically need in an entire day.
- Bucket and sponge for your car: Using a bucket and sponge to wash your car can save hundreds of litres of water compared to using a hose or power washer.
For more information on water conservation and to access our Water Conservation Calculator, visit the Water Conservation page.
Previous Updates
Uisce Éireann has confirmed that a Water Conservation Order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban will be in place for Cork County from Saturday, 26 July 2025 until 16 September 2025.
The Water Conservation Order (WCO) has been issued in a bid to safeguard the water supply for essential purposes. Advertisements will appear in national papers on the 24 July 2025, in line with statutory requirements, outlining the prohibition of the use of garden hoses and other non-essential uses of water. This order applies to Cork County only and does not apply to Cork City.
A Water Conservation Order is only introduced if absolutely necessary. Conserving and reducing water consumption is these circumstances is critical to ensure continuity of supply.
The lack of rainfall over several months, combined with recent high temperatures and corresponding drought conditions have collectively caused a marked decrease in raw water availability and groundwater sources throughout the county.
The data tells us that rainfall in Cork County in May, June, and July this year to date has been significantly below average when compared to historical rainfall records. 164.5mm of rainfall was measured in Sherkin Island during this period compared to historical records of 227.9mm for the same period. At Roches Point weather station there was 131.7mm during this period compared to historical records of 205.9mm for the same period. That’s 28% and 37% less rainfall recorded locally.
In addition, there is an increase in domestic water usage, agricultural need and demand driven by peak tourism season.
Along with Cork County, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford have also been issued with a WCO to reduce the potential of restrictions and outages over the coming weeks and months.
Brian O’Leary, Regional Water Operations Manager at Uisce Éireann, said: "Uisce Éireann's top priority is to protect water supplies for use in homes, businesses and essential services. While it may often feel like Ireland gets plenty of rain, the data shows the past 12 months have been unseasonably warm and dry. As a result, water sources across Cork County have not had their usual seasonal recharge, and we are now heading into the height of summer and tourism season, when we typically see a surge in demand, with lower-than-average water levels. By way of example, in West Cork we have had to tanker water to reservoirs in the Skibbereen / Leap and Goleen areas due to very low source levels combined with high demand.”
“The introduction of this Order follows a series of measures that Uisce Éireann has put in place to safeguard supplies for essential purposes in recent months including increased efforts in leakage detection, pipe repair, overall network management and raising awareness of the importance of water conservation year-round with a public information campaign.“
"It is very clear from Uisce Éireann's data that warm weather creates a surge in demand for water. Such weather makes the use of hoses more likely for gardening, leisure and other purposes. However, using a hosepipe for one hour is the equivalent of the daily water usage of an average family and this is generally a non-essential use of water.”
“We will continue to assess and monitor the river flows and groundwater levels and to analyse water consumption levels while the Water Conservation Order is in place.”
"During this time, we are supporting and advising our commercial water users on water conservation and encouraging them to continue their efforts to avoid unnecessary use.”
"There are lots of helpful tips for conserving water on our website, but the key messages are to leave the hose and the pressure washer in the shed; reuse household water for the garden; and take shorter showers. We are calling on everyone to play their part so we can maintain supply over the summer months." said Brian.
The Conservation Order prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, for example watering gardens attached to a business premises.
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 on our conservation section where you can also find lots 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 on our website.
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