Uisce Éireann urges Midlands to conserve water as warm temperatures continue

Uisce Éireann is urging people in the Midlands to conserve water as warm temperatures are set to continue.

With the country is set to enjoy a long spell of warm weather, Uisce Éireann announced a national appeal encouraging the public to help protect the country’s water supplies by adopting simple water-saving practices at home, in the garden, and at work.

Already the water network is experiencing increased pressure on supplies across several regions, including counties Westmeath, Dublin, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, Galway, Donegal, Meath, Clare, and Wexford.

Temperatures will continue to soar over the weekend, with Met Eireann reporting highs of 28 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday.

How to conserve water:

Leave the hose in the shed: Store the hose in the shed during the summer months. Use a rose-head watering can to water your plants instead of a hose or sprinkler. Running a hose for just one hour uses as much water as a family would typically need in an entire day.

Bucket and sponge for your car: Using a bucket and sponge to wash your car can save hundreds of litres of water compared to using a hose or power washer.

Turn off the tap: Brushing your teeth with the tap running wastes up to six litres of water per minute. Turning it off while brushing can reduce that to just one litre.

Switch to a shower: Showers use about half the amount of water that baths do

Invest in water-saving appliances, such as water-efficient taps and shower heads.

Shorter showers: With the average shower using seven litres of water per minute, turning your five-minute shower into a four-minute shower could save up to seven litres of water per day.

Fully load your appliances: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machine are fully loaded before use. A typical washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water, and a dishwasher uses around 20 litres per cycle. By ensuring they are fully loaded, you will not only conserve water but also reduce your energy bills.

More information on water conservation can be found at https://www.water.ie/conservation/