RUN SILENT.. RUN NOT SO DEEP AT RESERVOIR

Dry spell sees supply at 25-year low

WATER levels at Silent Valley Reservoir this month have not been as low since 1995.

Officials have appealed to households to cut back on consumption to avoid a hosepipe ban.

Silent Valley, near Kilkeel in the Mourne Mountains, held just 63% of its full capacity yesterday morning.

The reservoir supplies most of the homes in Belfast, Co Down and surrounding areas and is managed by NI Water.

Spokesman Maurice Mcevoy said: “This recent dry spell which has been breaking records, coupled with people at home using more water, has resulted in a significant drop in our levels.

“Some of the impounding reservoirs that serve the Belfast area, I have not seen this low in years. For example, levels at the Silent Valley Reservoir today are 63%.

“We have not seen this reservoir that low in June since 1995.”

NI Water has appealed to the public to show restraint in the garden and around the home to protect supplies.

The utility company has seen a significant rise in the amount of water used since the beginning of lockdown in March.

This increase has not been offset by the closure of businesses as many in the agri-food sector and factories have remained operational.

NI Water chief Sara Venning said:

“How we all use our water now will have a massive impact on our water levels during the summer months and on whether a hosepipe ban will be required.

“We know from the increase in our night usage some customers are leaving sprinklers and hoses on overnight. We are appealing to them to stop.

“A sprinkler left on overnight is enough to meet the daily water needs of 13 families.

“We are also asking people to think before they use their pressure washer. Could the task be put off until we are out of this dry period? However, the easiest way for everyone to save a little water and make a big difference is through normal household tasks.

“If each of us turned off the tap when brushing our teeth, in a month we would save enough water for the daily handwashing of 67 people.

“Similarly, if you put a jug of water into the fridge rather than running the tap, those actions alone would save approximately 18 litres per day.

“This is enough to keep nine people hydrated for a whole day. “We want everyone to enjoy their home and garden.

“We just need people to think about how they use their water and if what they are doing is essential.”