Carlow public urged to reduce water use as drought conditions hit

By taking some simple steps to conserve water at home, in the garden and at work, everyone in Carlow can help protect water supplies for their community
Carlow public urged to reduce water use as drought conditions hit

Carlow is now officially in a drought situation

UISCE Éireann is appealing to the public in Co Carlow to conserve water as over 51 water supplies across the country are now officially in drought status.

The utility formerly known as Irish Water is actively monitoring all water supplies across the county, where several sources are at high risk of entering drought status, particularly the Carlow central region.

To maintain normal supply levels, Uisce Éireann has implemented a range of interventions, including tankering water to reservoirs, night-time restrictions and pressure management. It says these measures are essential to safeguard water availability and ensure continuity of service during this prolonged dry period.

By taking some simple steps to conserve water at home, in the garden and at work, everyone in Carlow can help protect water supplies for their community. These include:

• Leave the hose and power washer in the shed and use a watering can for the garden. Running a hose for one hour uses the same amount of water as a family needs for a full day; use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose or power washer when washing your car

• Don’t let the tap run brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to six litres per minute. Turning off the tap reduces this to just one litre

• Shower or bath? A bath uses 80 litres of water compared to 49 litres for a seven-minute shower. Switching to showers saves water; reducing your shower from five to four minutes can save up to seven litres of water a day

• Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A washing machine uses approximately 65 litres per cycle, while a dishwasher uses 20 litres.

To help people learn more about saving water, Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator so they can work out how much water they are currently saving and how they can conserve even more. The calculator is available at www.water.ie/calculator, where there are also lots of useful water saving tips.

Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at any time on 1800 278278 or online at www.water.ie.

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