Thursday, 28 September 2023: Uisce Éireann advises customers in Birr and surrounding areas that an essential overnight restriction will be required from 10pm tonight until 7am tomorrow morning and again on Friday 29th, at 10pm until 7am, Saturday 30th, September to allow water levels in Birr Reservoir improve.
The restriction is required due to poor raw water quality entering the water treatment plant following storm Agnes.
To improve reservoir levels and maintain a sufficient water supply to homes and businesses during the daytime, customers supplied by the Birr Public Water Supply will experience reduced pressure from 10pm tonight until 7am tomorrow morning and again on Friday night from 10pm until Saturday morning at 7am.
During the daytime, we are appealing to customers to help conserve water by not running taps needlessly, taking showers instead of baths and to postpone using dishwashers and washing machines where possible. Further information on water conservation is available on our website at www.water/conserve.
The Uisce Éireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates on local water supply issues, please visit the Water Supply Updates section of www.water.ie.
For media queries please contact press@water.ie
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
- Minimise the amount of water used in paddling pools
- If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose
- 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.
In the garden:
- Save and reuse water collected from baths, showers, and hand basins in the garden
- In the garden use a rose head watering can instead of a hose and aim for the roots
- Consider installing a water butt to collect rainwater – this can then be used for watering the garden during dry weather
- Do your watering in the evening, when it won’t evaporate
- Pots and containers need lots of water to prevent drying out, so plant directly into the ground as much as possible
- Another good tip is to add a layer of plant material, like bark, to your flower bed to prevent evaporation and reduce the need for watering
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 on our website at https://www.water.ie/conservation/business/take-action/agriculture/. 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 at water.ie/businessconserve with advice for a range of industries including hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses
More information on water conservation can be found at https://www.water.ie/conservation/