Uisce Éireann appeals to Mayo customers to conserve water

As demand on water sources increases in the height of the summer season, Uisce Éireann is appealing to customers in Mayo to be mindful of their water use.

A number of supplies across the county – including the Crossmolina, Louisburgh and Mulranny public water supplies and the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme – are already experiencing increased demand, and customers can help reduce that demand by adopting simple water-saving practices at home, in the garden and at work.

Colette Scahill, Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Operations Manager in Co. Mayo, explained that levels in many water sources are significantly lower than normal for this time of year following a drier than average autumn, winter and spring, and an increase in demand across many of our supplies has put further pressure on the network and reservoirs.

“We’re committed to ensuring a reliable water supply throughout the summer months, and the support of our customers in Mayo is an important element to achieve this. In the weeks ahead, we would appeal to customers to take the opportunity to really consider their water usage and reflect on the daily and easy actions they can take to play their part in ensuring our water resources are used wisely and in a way which benefits, not only your own household but also the wider community.”

This local call in Mayo comes as Uisce Éireann announced a national appeal encouraging the public to help protect the country’s water supplies. Nationally, water supplies across Galway, Donegal, Dublin, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, Meath, Westmeath, Clare and Wexford are also experiencing increased pressure.

As part of the national appeal, Uisce Éireann has teamed up with broadcaster Kathryn Thomas to help raise awareness of the importance of water conservation. The aim of the appeal is to remind the public that saving water doesn’t have to be difficult. By making small adjustments, we can all contribute to managing water more efficiently.

Some easy water-saving tips from Uisce Éireann are:

- Leave the hose in the shed: Drop the hose 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 as baths. 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, by turning your five-minute shower into four minutes you 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, not only will you conserve water, but you will also reduce your energy bills.

DEMANDS

“Summer places additional demands on our water supplies. That is why we are asking people in Mayo to join us in making small changes in their own daily routine to help conserve water,” said Colette.

She added: “Simple steps can have a big impact in helping to maintain water reserves. Whether it is using a watering can in the garden or turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, every individual action counts, and all adds up to making a positive contribution to benefit everyone.”

Commenting further, broadcaster Kathryn Thomas said: “It is important that we all consider our water usage habits not just during the summer months, but all year round. Simple changes can have a real impact and collectively we can all help maintain our water resources.”

For those looking to track their progress and learn more about water conservation, Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator which allows people to track their personal water usage. To access the water conservation calculator or find out more about water conservation tips, visit www.water.ie/conservation.