Uisce Éireann issues National appeal to conserve water

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As the country is set to enjoy a long spell of warm weather, Uisce Éireann, today announced a national appeal encouraging the public to help protect the country’s water supplies by adopting simple water-saving practices at home, in the garden, and at work. As part of the appeal Uisce Éireann has teamed up with broadcaster Kathryn Thomas to help raise awareness of the importance of water conservation. 

Uisce Éireann is reminding customers that the Water Conservation Order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, remains in place for the Mullingar Regional Public Water Supply.  The supply is sourced from Lough Owel and serves over 50,000 customers across a large area of County Westmeath. 

The implementation of the Order in early May, followed a long period of dry weather over autumn, winter and spring, combined with steady demand, as a result of which the water supply at Lough Owel, has come under severe stress. 

The aim of the appeal is to remind the public that saving water doesn’t have to be difficult. By making small adjustments, we can all contribute to managing water more efficiently. 

Below are some easy water-saving tips: 

• Leave the hose in the shed: Drop the hose during the summer months. Use a rose head watering can to 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.
• 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. 

“We’re committed to ensuring a reliable water supply throughout the 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,” said Margaret Attridge, Uisce Éireann’s Head of Water Operations.

 “While the warmer weather is certainly a welcome change, it does place additional demands on our water supplies. That is why we are asking people to join us in making small changes in their own daily routine to help conserve water. Simple steps can have a big impact in helping to maintain water reserves. Whether it is using a watering can in the garden, or turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, every individual action counts, and all adds up to making a positive contribution to benefit everyone,” concluded Margaret.

Commenting further, broadcaster Kathryn Thomas said, “It is important that we all consider our water usage habits not just during the summer months but all year round. Simple changes can have a real impact and collectively we can all help maintain our water resources.”

It is essential that the Water Conservation Order remains in place for the Mullingar Regional Public Water Supply to reduce the potential of restrictions and outages over the course of the summer. 

In response, Uisce Éireann has increased efforts to safeguard the water supply, including doubling down on leakage detection, pipe repair, and overall network management. We are also in the process of developing a trial to replace existing water meters with smart technology in areas of Mullingar. These new meters will provide more frequent data on water usage, enabling us to detect network issues and repair leaks faster and to manage the water network more efficiently. This helps to preserve water and provide a more reliable water service for everyone.

Uisce Éireann is also installing eight control valves at strategic points on the network, which reduces the likelihood of bursts and provides better control of the network, allowing reservoirs to recover at times of low demand.

For those looking to track their progress and learn more about water conservation, Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator, which allows people to track their personal water usage. To access the water conservation calculator or find out more about water conservation tips visit www.water.ie/conservation.