Irish Water has stressed the need to lower water usage on Inis Mór for the foreseeable future, due to the unseasonably dry weather conditions, resulting in historically low water levels for this time of year.
Water restrictions will be imposed on the island from 11pm to 7am daily commencing Monday, May 15. Irish Water has warned that should a dry spell continue they will have to consider extending the restrictions to day time hours.
The restrictions imposed on the Inis Oirr supply last Monday remain in place and the water conversation notice issued for consumers on Inis Meáin continues.
Working in partnership with Galway County Council, Irish Water is asking people supplied by these public water schemes to conserve water as much as possible and to report any leaks they see on the public network by calling the customer care helpline, which is open 24/7, on 1850 278278.
With demand on water supplies expected to increase significantly over the summer months, Irish Water is asking the public for their assistance by reporting all leaks to help conserve water and reduce loss of water in the network due to leakage. Along with Galway County Council, Irish Water would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to thank the public in advance for their co-operation. Updates will be issued on the water storage levels at the reservoirs and consumers will be advised when they can return to normal usage.
Irish Water has also issued some tips on how to save water.
These include, checking that your home is leak free, by looking out for running overflows and fixing any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes.
Also, brushing your teeth with the tap running can also use up to a staggering six litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest one litre of water.
The average bath uses 80 litres of water compared to an average shower using 49 litres in seven minutes. Switch your bath to a shower for massive water saving.
With the average shower using seven litres of water per minute by turning your five minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to seven litres of water per day.
Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A modern washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water per cycle while a dishwasher uses 20 litres. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water but you will also reduce your energy bills.
A third of all water used in home is flushed down the toilet. Some larger cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush. Place a displacement device into the cistern (out of the the way of moving parts ) to save water.
Adhering to these tips will ensure that water is conserved and can help relieve situations like the one in Inis Mór.
