In order to maintain a daytime water supply, Irish Water is advising customers in Stranorlar and Ballybofey that nighttime restrictions are essential.
As the dry weather continues so too does the high level of domestic, commercial and agricultural demand for treating drinking water on the Lough Mourne Water Supply which supplies both towns.
Working with Donegal County Council, Irish Water is taking every measure to ensure that supply can keep up with the increased demand but in order to allow reservoir levels recover restrictions are essential overnight between 10pm and 9am until further notice.
Irish Water’s Seamus O’Brien explained that demand on the Lough Mourne Water Supply remains high and he appealed to customers to continue conserving water.
“Irish Water understands the inconvenience the restrictions will cause but it is necessary to maintain reservoir levels and ensure a sufficient water supply to homes and businesses during normal working hours.
“We are working with Donegal County Council to lift the nighttime restrictions as soon as possible but in the meantime, we are appealing to all customers on the Lough Mourne Supply and across the county to be mindful of how they use their water at home. Do not run taps needlessly, take showers instead of baths and postpone using dishwashers and washing machines where possible.”
There are a number of easy steps to reduce water usage during the hot weather, including:
- Avoid power washing and keep the garden hose in the shed
- Check for leaks on outdoor taps or troughs as these can lead to large losses of treated water
- Remember that paddling pools and swimming pools can use huge volumes of water so consider reusing the water for the garden or cleaning the car.
- Report any visible leaks on the public network to Irish Water at water.ie or call 1800 278 278.
- Where householders experience very low flow or pressure, lower than neighbouring properties, they may have a service pipe leak. Irish Water’s First-Fix-Free Scheme can help with the location and repair of external leaks. Details at water.ie or call 1800 278 278
Further information on water conservation is available on our website at www.water/conserve.”
Vulnerable customers who have registered with Irish Water receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours.
Irish Water thanks customers for their patience while we work to restore normal supply to all customers. The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates, please visit the Supply and Service Updates section of the Irish Water website.
MORE WATER SAVING TIPS
At home:
- Take a shorter shower
- 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
- If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose
- Report any external leaks to Irish Water at 1800 278 278. No leak fixes itself and every leak gets progressively worse. The escaping water can weaken the ground or cause slippery footpaths and roads. The leaking water reduces the supply pressure for adjacent properties. What looks like a small leak at the surface can be using the equivalent to 20-30 households.
In the garden:
- Save and reuse water collected from baths, showers, and hand basins in the garden
- In the garden use a rose head watering can instead of a hose and aim for the roots
- Consider installing a water butt to collect rainwater – this can then be used for watering the garden during dry weather
- Water in the evening when it won’t evaporate
- Pots and containers need lots of water to prevent drying out so plant directly into the ground as much as possible
- Another good tip is to add a layer of plant material, like bark, to your flower bed to prevent evaporation and reduce the need for watering
On the Farm
- Fix troughs – 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.
- Dry cleaning: Save water when cleaning the yard by using dry-cleaning techniques. Use scrapers and brushes to remove solid waste from yards and pens before hosing. You can also use a small amount of water (e.g. one bucket) to pre-soak waste before cleaning.
- Clean plate cooler water: If you own a dairy farm, you can divert clean plate cooler water to a tank and use it for parlour washing
- Consider Rainwater Harvesting – rain from the roofs of farm buildings can be used for a variety of activities such as washing down yards. Consider the level of rainwater quality required for specific water uses on the farm (e.g. plant nurseries and field irrigation) and the surfaces and contamination risks before you consider installing appropriate rain water harvesting, treatment (filtration and UV) and storage systems.
- Take action to protect water sources: Avoid contamination of surface waters by reducing or eliminating access to livestock by fencing off watercourses. Pollution containing animal faeces can affect the water environment, nutrients and soil. Destroyed bankside vegetation can also contribute to flooding.
- There are lots more water saving tips for farmers on our website at https://www.water.ie/
conservation/business/ business-conservation-tips/ agriculture/
Irish Water, as one of the leading water utilities in this space, has a first-of-its-kind dedicated water stewardship programme where we work with businesses to help them understand and reduce their water use. Find out more at www.water.ie/businessconserve with advice for a range of industries including hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses.
