Public asked to ‘play their part’ in hosepipe ban

A national hosepipe ban is now in place and will last until Tuesday, July 21. The decision was made following what was the driest May recorded in Ireland in 170 years.

Adding to the strain on water services is the simultaneous reopening of businesses around the country as part of Phase 2 of the Government’s roadmap.

The Water Conservation Order has been issued in a bid to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes and prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities for example, watering gardens attached to a business premises.

Met Eireann has confirmed that May 2020 was the driest since 1850. Their data shows that temperatures were above average in nearly all areas and rainfall totals in every county were below average for the season.

Of Irish Water’s 900 drinking water schemes, 27 currently are in drought and 50 are at risk of going into drought. The weather forecast is for a continuation of drier than normal conditions which will further exacerbate the situation.

During the June Bank holiday, the exceptionally warm saw an equivalent daily increase of water usage for an additional 200,000 people being used in the Greater Dublin Area. This increase in demand was replicated across the country. Given the current pressures on the water sources, this level of demand cannot be accommodated in the coming weeks.

The amount of rainfall needed to replenish supplies varies around the country and is site specific however Irish Water estimate that a minimum accumulation of 100mm rainfall spread over a number of weeks would be required and normal rainfall levels after that before the threat to water sources would pass.

Niall Gleeson, Managing Director of Irish Water, said ‘Using a hosepipe for one hour is the equivalent of the daily water usage of an average family and this is evidently a non-essential use of water.”

‘ The key messages are to leave the hose and the pressure washer in the shed; don’t use paddling pools; reuse household water for the garden; and take shorter showers. Safeguarding the supply of water is essential at this time when handwashing and hygiene is of critical importance. We are calling on everyone to play their part.’