We ‘vastly underestimate’ our water usage

HOUSEHOLDS are vastly underestimating the amount of water they use each day, despite the drought conditions, new research shows.

Irish Water is urging conservation after it found the average person uses 129 litres of water a day – although 56pc of people believe the average person uses less than 50 litres a day.

Some 20pc believe they use between 51 and 100 litres; 14pc estimate that it’s between 101 and 200 litres and 10pc believe it is more than 200 litres.

Irish Water commissioned the research among 1,000 adults, which was conducted by Behaviour and Attitudes (B&A) between July 11 and 19 as the country grappled with exceptionally hot and dry weather.

The research comes as this bank holiday weekend looks like being mainly dry with pleasant temperatures.

Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly told the Irish Independent that a blast of rain early in the morning in Leinster was expected to dry up and brighten up as the day goes on, and it will be warm again today.

Temperatures will reach up to 24C in Munster and Leinster, while other areas of the country will experience temperatures of around 20C.

“It looks like it will be drier, but actually a little bit fresher because we have got something of a slight change of air mass, so a slighter cooler day, but it is still a pleasant day though,” said Ms Donnelly.

Meanwhile, tourists heading off to sunnier climes by plane this weekend should be prepared for an unprecedented heatwave. Ms Donnelly said the Iberian peninsula could be in for dangerous conditions this weekend as the mercury hits 40C and possibly even 50C inland.

“Generally when you are talking about tourists they are going to the coasts, so temperatures in coastal areas there will be around 30C to 35C, but still very warm conditions,” she said.