Uisce Éireann urges customers in South Leitrim to continue to conserve water

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann is urging customers in Carrick-on-Shannon and across South Leitrim to continue efforts to conserve water and protect supply.

Following an increase in water usage by households and businesses supplied by Carrick-on-Shannon Water Treatment Plant, customers are being asked to be mindful of their usage, allow supply to catch up with demand and enable reservoirs to fully replenish.

High usage can lead to pressure reductions which can impact the supply to customers.

Speaking about conserving water, Uisce Éireann’s Peadar Griffin said: “There has been a noticeable increase in water demand across the South Leitrim areas in recent weeks. We are continuing to ask customers in these areas to conserve water to give the reservoirs time to replenish. Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all homes and businesses.”

Peadar added: “It’s important that we all consider our water usage and look at simple yet impactful ways to conserve water. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference.”

For more simple ways to conserve water, check out the Uisce Éireann conservation calculator which can help people work out how much water they are currently using and how they can conserve even more.

WATER SAVING TIPS

At Home:

• Take a shorter shower
• Fix dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home 
• When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap and save up to 6 litres of water per minute 
• Report any external leaks to Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278. No leak fixes itself and every leak gets progressively worse. The escaping water can weaken the ground or cause slippery footpaths and roads. The leaking water reduces the supply pressure for adjacent properties. What looks like a small leak at the surface can be using the equivalent to 20-30 households.

On the Farm:

• Fix troughs: Watch out for overflowing drinking troughs as they can waste significant amounts of water. Adjust the ball valves to lower the float or replace faulty parts. 
• Dry cleaning: Save water when cleaning the yard by using dry-cleaning techniques. Use scrapers and brushes to remove solid waste from yards and pens before hosing. You can also use a small amount of water (e.g. one bucket) to pre-soak waste before cleaning.
• Clean plate cooler water: If you own a dairy farm, you can divert clean plate cooler water to a tank and use it for parlour washing
• Consider Rainwater Harvesting: Rain from the roofs of farm buildings can be used for a variety of activities such as washing down yards. Consider the level of rainwater quality required for specific water uses on the farm (e.g., plant nurseries and field irrigation) and the surfaces and contamination risks before you consider installing appropriate rain water harvesting, treatment (filtration and UV) and storage systems.
• Take action to protect water sources: Avoid contamination of surface waters by reducing or eliminating access to livestock by fencing off watercourses. Pollution containing animal faeces can affect the water environment, nutrients and soil. Destroyed bankside vegetation can also contribute to flooding. 
• There are lots more water saving tips for farmers here. 
• Uisce Éireann, as one of the leading water utilities in this space, has a first-of-its-kind dedicated water stewardship programme where we work with businesses to help them understand and reduce their water use. Find out more here, with advice for a range of industries including hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses. 

Check for leaks: 

It is important to check for and repair leaks on your premises. Repairing leaks reduces water loss and can help to prevent issues like reduced water pressure. See how you can check for a leak on your property here.

More information on water conservation can be found here.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours.

Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278 or online at Report a Leak

Uisce Éireann’s customer care team is available 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries. For further updates, visit the service and supply section of our website.

Uisce Éireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page.