Water Conservation Urgently Needed as Cork Supplies Face Pressure from Dry Weather

Uisce Éireann has issued an urgent appeal to communities across County Cork to conserve water as a prolonged spell of dry weather combined with increased demand puts significant pressure on local water supplies.

Multiple areas including Macroom, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Glengarriff, Freemount, Whitechurch, Goleen, Crookhaven, Bantry, Mallow and surrounding regions are experiencing strain on their water systems as reservoir and river levels continue to drop.

Niall O'Riordan, Uisce Éireann's water operations manager, highlighted the critical nature of the situation: "This long period of dry weather has resulted in low reservoir and river levels. We are seeing very high demand on supplies across Cork County."

With warm, dry conditions forecast to continue into next week, the water utility is urging residents to be mindful of their usage. "This will be critical in ensuring these supplies are protected over the coming weeks and into the summer months," O'Riordan added.

Uisce Éireann is actively monitoring all supplies and will take appropriate actions to manage demand. If restrictions become necessary, local communities will be notified promptly.

The company encourages simple conservation measures such as taking shorter showers, using basins in sinks, and fixing leaking taps. Residents can calculate their potential water savings using the conservation calculator available at water.ie/calculator.ie.

Property owners are also advised to watch for signs of underground leaks, including persistent moisture in lawns or driveways during dry weather. Under Uisce Éireann's first fix free scheme, eligible leaks on private property can be repaired at no cost to the owner.

The utility has shared several key conservation tips:

• Check for leaks and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes
• Turn off taps while brushing teeth to save up to 5 litres per minute
• Take showers instead of baths, as the average bath uses 80 litres versus 49 litres for a seven-minute shower
• Reduce shower time by one minute to save 7 litres daily
• Ensure dishwashers and washing machines are fully loaded before running
• Consider using displacement devices in toilet cisterns to reduce flush volume

To report leaks on the public network or for additional information, Uisce Éireann's 24/7 helpdesk can be contacted at 1800 278 278.