IT’S A DROUGHT IN NORTH SLIGO
Resevoirs are running dry as water usage increases by an average of 20% in homes across the country.
While people are staying and working at home since mid-March in response to the Covid-19 crisis, Irish Water says there has been a significant increase in household water usage.
Irish Water says there is a drought status currently in place in North Sligo.
Local councillor, Donal Gilroy said that following eight dry weeks the North Sligo water supply servicing over 4,000 households had reached a critically low level.
“The main domestic water treatment plant on Benbulben draws water from three small streams at Gortnaleck, Lyle and Ardnaglas.
“Unlike other areas that are served by a water source from a reservoir or lake the North Sligo system is very vulnerable when there is a prolonged dry period such as we have seen in recent weeks.
“During the 2019 drought the plant went from full water availability on June 21 to a potential drought situation by July 3rd and this shows how quickly the situation can escalate.
“Unfortunately because so many people have been at home due to the COVID-19 situation the water usage is way above normal levels and as a result the water reserves are running out very quickly,” he said.
Work was carried out in recent years to meet additional demand by increased population but Cllr Gilroy believes that with additional home working and changed working practices along with climate change challenges means there is a need to assess the ability of the plant to deliver safe clean water to the region.
Irish Water says domestic metering data has revealed that households are using an additional 24 litres of water per person per day, a 20% increase from February.
Non-domestic water usage has decreased with many businesses, construction sites, schools, colleges, gyms, hotels, bars and restaurants temporarily closed.
This reduction in demand has helped to offset some of the domestic demand, however as the latter represents two thirds of Irish Water business, the water supply is still under pressure.
In addition, when Government restrictions are lifted, many commercial premises will need to use extra water to clean and flush their plumbing systems and storage tanks or to complete deep cleans, while water usage in homes will continue to remain higher than normal.
“As many of our water treatment plants are already working to their maximum capacity, Irish Water is appealing to the public to prioritise handwashing over powerwashing and conserve water now where they can, so that together we can meet the increased demands on our network when restrictions are relaxed for businesses.
“Demand for water is currently outstripping supply in North Sligo affecting the whole supply zone.
“Irish Water in partnership with Sligo County Council has carried out leak investigations and there are no significant leaks causing this increase in water usage.
“There are some simple measures that the public can take including stopping the use of powerwashers at home; using a watering can rather than a hose in the garden; taking showers over baths; and fixing any dripping taps where it is possible to do so.
Speaking about the need to conserve water, Irish Water’s Drinking Water Lead for Sligo Georgina O’Reilly said: “It is really important that everyone follows the HSE guidance on handwashing, however there are some ways to conserve water that will not impact on hygiene.
“Insights from meter reads show that households are now using 20% more water and we can see a significant change in water usage patterns in commuter belt towns and rural areas where significant numbers of people would usually be out of the house for long periods during the day.
“We are also conscious that we have had an extremely dry spell so we are continually monitoring our water sources across the Region. Currently, North Sligo is in drought status.”