Hosepipe ban for local water supply extended
The Water Conservation Order for the Mullingar Regional Public Water Supply is to remain in place for another four weeks, until 13 October.
The Conservation Order was issued in early May in a bid to safeguard the water supply for essential purposes. The supply is sourced from Lough Owel and serves over 50,000 customers across a large area of County Westmeath. Uisce Éireann made the decision to extend the conservation order as continued monitoring shows that the lake level remains critically low.
Despite recent rainfall, the long-term effects of a dry autumn, winter and spring, followed by the warmest summer on record, have left Lough Owel significantly depleted.
Lough Owel is fed by underground springs and can take considerably longer than other sources to recharge meaning recovery will be slow, despite recent wetter weather conditions.
Throughout the spring and summer, Uisce Éireann operational teams have worked intensively to maintain supply by repairing leaks and managing pressure in the network.
Those efforts, together with the local community supporting conservation appeals, have helped to stabilise supply, but the risk of water supply disruption remains high.
Fionnuala Callery, regional technical operations manager with Uisce Éireann, said: "We know the public have made a huge effort over the late spring and summer to reduce their water use, and we’re very grateful for that.
"Even though we are seeing a return to cooler, wetter weather, it will take several weeks or even months for Lough Owel to fully recover. If the people of Westmeath supplied from the lake continue to play their part by conserving water and avoiding unnecessary use, we can reduce the potential of restrictions and outages going forward."
Water saving tips
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Switch from baths to showers, and take shorter showers.
• Fully load appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines.
• Leave the hose in the shed.
• Use a bucket and sponge to wash the car.
For more on water conservation and the Water Conservation Calculator, see water.ie/calculator.