Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TAPS OFF IN ULSTER
NI Water brings in hosepipe ban as temperature hits 30.5C
NORTHERN Ireland will swelter again today with a hosepipe ban coming into force last night as the heatwave continues.
NI Water said the public is being asked to “limit the use of tap water to the essentials, like drinking, cooking and washing”.
The alert came as the country sizzled at 30.5C yesterday and while the Met Office is forecasting a “slightly fresher feel” it has warned temperatures will fall just one or two degrees.
A HOSEPIPE ban was enforced in Northern Ireland last night in response to the heatwave.
It means people are not allowed to use the hose on their gardens or paddling pools. The order also prohibits hosepipes to wash cars, boats or clean outside walls or patios.
The ban came into effect at 6pm as NI Water chiefs warned there could be “supply failures”.
Bosses said the public is also being asked to “limit the use of tap water to the essentials such as drinking, cooking and washing”.
NI Water chief Sara Venning added: “We have maximised our water production and need customers’ help to reduce demand.
“We are asking customers to take heed of the hose pipe ban and stop non-essential water use – using hoses and sprinklers is causing demand to exceed the capacity to supply.
“I would like to pay tribute to our staff who have been working through the night to ensure treatment works are running at full capacity and in addition tankers have been deployed to assist with topping up service reservoirs.
“However, we also need the help of the public and businesses to reduce the level of demand.
“In recent days our treatment works have been operating at near maximum levels with over 700 million litres of water being put into the network which is some 25% more than is normal for this time of the year. Despite these steps, demand continues to outstrip supply.
“It is essential we all work together to reduce the unprecedented levels of demand.
“Customers in some areas including parts of Belfast and Armagh as well as other rural hand high lying areas have already experienced loss of pressure and intermittent supply failures.”
The hosepipe ban comes after a week which saw temperatures peak at 30C and will dip only slightly over the weekend. The heat has been so intense, even railway tracks have been affected slowing trains down. Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We’ll see a continuation of the warm spell but the temperatures in the next few days are not likely to be the warmest of the year so far. I think temperatures have peaked.”