Irish Water are appealing to the public to conserve water for essential use only.
It has been an incredible streak of sunshine on Irish shores. Families across the country have been spending most of the day outdoors enjoying the warmer temperatures. With that has come a huge increase in the use of paddling pools. This June bank holiday showcased a catalogue of swimming pools on social media as children basked in the tropical weather.
In response to the increase in water usage Irish Water have issued a statement to say that it is "increasingly likely" that a hosepipe ban will be put in place very soon.
According to water.ie the demand for domestic water usage soared in recent weeks due to families spending greater amounts of time at home. In recent days the soaring temperatures have added another layer of pressure to water supplies in the country.
" increased domestic demand and increase in commercial demand as businesses are reopening is being exacerbated by warm weather and the widespread emergence of drought conditions "
Water Conservation Order / hosepipe ban increasingly likely as demand for water soars and drought conditions prevail. This comes during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis when handwashing and hygiene remain critically important. See https://t.co/pbxAv1meFr for more.
— Irish Water (@IrishWater) June 1, 2020
On warmer days there is a huge spike in water usage according to water.ie. At present there are 16 drinking water schemes currently in drought with a further 38 schemes that are at risk of drought. To combat this Irish Water may have to impose a strict water conservation order.
Irish Water are appealing to the public on this matter. While a hosepipe ban looks likely they are urging people to conserve water for essential use only. Yvonne Harris is head of consumer operations at Irish Water. In yesterday's statement she spoke about the fact that they are
" appealing to the public to redouble their efforts in conserving water in the home and in the garden. With so many people staying at home during the Covid-19 crisis, domestic demand for water increased by 20% at a time when our water treatment plants were working at maximum capacity."
To put this in context Harris used Saturday as an example. In just one day in the greater Dublin area the water levels reflected that of an extra 200,000 people.
Check out these water conservation tips and do your bit to help the situation.