Households urg ed to conserve where possible to avoid outages

MORE than 1.2 million people across the State have no water or are subject to restrictions.

Irish Water has issued the following advice:

■ The utility says most households should have enough storage in attic tanks for 24 hours’ normal usage, so there should be no need to fill kettles and containers;

■ In addition, most people will experience a loss of pressure but not an outage. However, areas served by smaller plants already struggling are more likely to be hit with no supply;

■ Homeowners and businesses are urged not to run taps to prevent pipes freezing, and to check there are no leaks on their properties;

■ Customers are also urged to take shorter showers of four minutes or less, as the average shower uses 10 litres of water a minute;

■ Turn off the tap when brushing teeth. A running tap can use up to six litres a minute;

■ Keep a jug of water in the fridge. Waiting for a tap to run cold to drink can waste more than 10 litres of water in a day;

■ Avoid using dishwashers and washing machines if possible, but if you do use them then only switch on when full;

■ Consider adding a toilet cistern bag to reduce the amount of water used in every flush;

■ Use a basin in the sink to wash dishes by hand or preparing fruit or vegetables;

■ Avoid unnecessary rinsing.