Hose pipe ban extended to end of September

A hose pipe ban for County Meath which was due to expire this Wednesday has been extended until 30th September.

Uisce Éireann has today confirmed that the Water Conservation Order for Meath will be extended until 30th September, as water sources and public water supplies in the county remain under pressure and need more time to recover.

The current nationwide order is due to expire at 23:59 on Wednesday, 26 August.

However, the order will remain in place in Meath and 12 other counties where continued protection of water supplies is required. The extension is subject to prevailing weather conditions and the availability of water for distribution.

The Water Conservation Order was introduced in parts of Meath on 16th July and extended to the full county on 24th July following a prolonged period of hot and dry weather, high water use and growing pressure on public water supplies.

While increased rainfall and the public’s conservation efforts have improved conditions in many parts of the country, Uisce Éireann says supplies in parts of the east and south remain under pressure.

Parts of Meath are supplied through the Greater Dublin Area Water Resource Zone, where demand has remained at historically high levels despite the introduction of conservation measures Uisce Éireann says extending the order will help safeguard supplies and support network resilience.

Stephen Burke, Regional Operations Senior Manager for the East region with Uisce Éireann, thanked communities across Meath for their support:

“We recognise the effort that people have already made to conserve water, and we sincerely appreciate their continued support.

“Although conditions have improved in many parts of the country, Meath’s water sources and public water supplies need more time to recover. Extending the Water Conservation Order will help us protect the water that is available and reduce the risk of disruption to customers.

“We are asking everyone to continue using only the water they need and to avoid non-essential use. Every drop saved will help protect local supplies and keep water available for essential daily needs.

“Simple actions can make a real difference. Taking shorter showers, fixing dripping taps or leaking toilets, running washing machines and dishwashers only when full, and using a watering can instead of a hose will all help.”

Uisce Éireann is continuing to take operational measures to maintain supplies. These include maximising water production, repairing leaks, moving water by tanker where necessary and managing the network to reduce the risk of outages

The public can help by reporting visible leaks on the public water network to Uisce Éireann on 1800 278 278 or through water.ie.