The hosepipe ban that has been in place in Milford for over a month is to be extended until the August bank holiday.
It is also in place in the Kells and Oldcastle areas of Co Meath and in Mullingar in Co Westmeath.
Uisce Eireann says it would take several weeks of sustained rainfall to allow affected water sources to recover to normal levels.
Forecasts also indicate a likely return to warmer, drier weather from next week, which could further increase demand and place additional strain on already stressed supplies.
Nationally, 21 locations across the country remain in drought status, some of which are in Donegal.
The ban will be lifted on the 4th of August.
Damien O’Sullivan, Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Operations Manager for Donegal says a dry year has contributed to the problem:
Key Tips to help you conserve water
- Leak free: Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes
- Drop the hose: use a watering can to water your plants instead of a hose or sprinkler
- Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to a staggering 6 litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest 1 litre of water
- Shower vs Bath: Showers use up to half the amount of water as baths
- Less time: With the average shower using 7 litres of water per minute by turning your five minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to 7 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
- Keep it cool: Keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the cold tap; this can save up to 10 litres a day
- Find out how much water your family uses and how to improve it by checking out our conservation calculator at www.water.ie/calculator.
