Uisce Éireann introduces nighttime restrictions in Gorey to maintain water supply

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann is appealing to the people of Gorey to conserve water with nighttime restrictions being introduced for some customers to help meet demand. 

Customers in Gorey Town and the surrounding areas will experience restrictions both tonight, Friday, 11 July and tomorrow night Saturday, 12 July. 

They will be in place from 11pm each night to 6am the following morning in an attempt to reduce usage and maintain a daytime supply. 

This appeal comes as levels in many water sources are significantly lower than normal for this time of year following a drier than average autumn, winter and spring. An increase in demand has put further pressure on the network. 

Speaking about the urgent need to conserve water in the Gorey area, Uisce Éireann's Water Operations Manager, Padraig Lyng, reminded customers to be mindful of their water use and do what they can to conserve it. 

“We’re committed to ensuring a reliable water supply for the people of Gorey throughout these summer months, and the support of our customers is an important element to achieve this. 

“In the days and weeks ahead, we would appeal to customers to take the opportunity to really consider their water usage and reflect on the daily and easy actions they can take to play their part in ensuring our water resources are used wisely and in a way which benefits, not only your own household but also the wider community.” 

Simple actions, such as taking a shorter shower, placing a basin in the sink and fixing leaking taps can all make a significant impact. Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator to help people find out how much water they are saving and what they can do to save even more. Check it out at water.ie/calculator 

This is also a good time for people to spot any underground leaks outside their home or business. Signs of such leaks may include persistent moisture in areas of the lawn or driveway during dry weather. Uisce Éireann’s first fix free scheme provides for a free leak repair on private property where such a leak is identified. To report leaks on the public network, or for more information, the Uisce Éireann helpdesk is available 24/7 at 1800 278 278.  

Key Tips to help you conserve water:

• 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 a staggering 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 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 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 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.