Irish Water warning on risk of more hose bans

IRISH Water will today issue a warning on the threat posed by extreme weather to many of Ireland’s water supplies.

The utility’s general manager Eamon Gallen is to tell an Oireachtas committee about the lessons learned from 2018’s ‘one-in-70-year’ drought which led to a hosepipe ban being imposed.

He will say that the public response to the water conservation order meant consumption dropped.

However, he will also warn that the 2018 drought “highlighted in stark terms that despite Ireland having an abundant supply of raw water, many of our current abstractions and supply networks lack the resilience and flexibility to deal with these extreme weather events.”

Mr Gallen is to tell TDs

Many of our networks lack resilience to deal with extreme weather

and senators that this is a “key challenge” that will be addressed in the National Water Resources Plan being launched this year.

He will say that managing two major storms and the drought in in 2018 helped Irish Water to refine its response to future events.

It has stores of spare parts, large static water containers and bottled water supplies strategically located and arrangements are in place to mobilise tankers at short notice.

Mr Gallen will also outline how Irish Water plans to encourage water conservation and provide first-fix leak repairs for households whose water use is very high “to help them to reduce consumption and avoid excess charges”.

While domestic charges have been scrapped, there are plans to introduce fees for excessive use.

Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government officials will also appear at the committee today.