Hosepipe ban lifted after less than a month as downpours fill up rivers hit by drought

IRISH Water has lifted the nationwide hosepipe ban two weeks early after the relentless rain of recent weeks replenished supplies sooner than expected.

Officials met with Met Éireann, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Public Works to assess lake and river levels and look at weather forecasts before declaring the emergency over.

The ban, formally termed a water conservation order, was put in place from June 9 after a record dry spell and searing temperatures all through the spring and early summer.

It was to run until July 21 with warnings that it could be extended for the remainder of the summer, but it was lifted at 5pm yesterday as the drought gave way to deluge.

When the ban came into effect, water supplies serving hundreds of thousands of people were in drought or at risk of drought, with little or no rain forecast.

The nationwide hosepipe ban was due to run until July 21

“Thankfully from a water supply perspective, over the past couple of weeks there has been above average rainfall in many areas of the country,” Irish Water said.

“This has resulted in the recovery of some of the water supplies that were in drought or at risk of drought. Currently 17 schemes remain in drought and a further 61 are at risk.”

It added, however: “While the overall numbers are trending downwards, the situation is not uniform across the country and the recovery of some sources is very fragile.” trend for increasing summer meteorological drought in Europe,” Dr Rolston said.

“It is estimated that approximately 1.76 million Irish people are living in areas of water stress – where the demand for water is not being met.”

Dr Rolston said the evidence suggested that, with climate change, the frequency and severity of droughts were likely to increase.

“Planning for the future sustainability of our water supplies is essential,” he said. “Ireland is lagging behind other countries in reducing risks associated with its water supplies. Ireland needs to catch up, and fast.”

Irish Water is preparing a 25-year water resources plan to address issues including sourcing and supply.

“In the near future, Irish Water will be undertaking public consultation on the first phase of the draft National Water Resources Plan and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment report and Natura Impact Statement,” it said.

Irish Water managing director Niall Gleeson said the situation would continue to be closely monitored. “We will continue to liaise with Met Éireann, the OPW, the EPA and other key stakeholders to discuss the impact of weather on our sources. “Should we enter a spell of prolonged warm and dry weather, and if the sources go into drought again, we may need to re-impose a water conservation order.” The hosepipe ban, a measure that can be implemented only in extreme circumstances, was the second nationwide restriction on water use in three years, but the Irish Water Forum said it should not have come as a surprise. Dr Alec Rolston, research lead with the forum, said information gathered by the Irish Droughts Project at University College Dublin showed that drought was not unusual in Ireland’s past and the last 30 years had been unusually drought-free. “Ireland is perceived to be a wet country, yet it has the largest

Dodging deluge: A woman wearing a face mask walks in St Stephen’s Green on a rainy summer’s day in Dublin city centre