Water Conservation Order for Offaly lifted as rainfall increases

2nd October 2018

Irish Water reporting good water supply recovery in most of the County but a number of small pockets around the County remain affected by restrictions
 
25 September 2018  - Irish Water can confirm that as of today the remaining Water Conservation Orders affecting Offaly as well as other counties Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Wicklow, Meath, Westmeath, Louth and Dublin have now been lifted.
 
The Irish Water Board met and reviewed the data that indicates that the reduction in demand, the availability of water resources and the prevailing weather conditions mean that the justification for the Water Conservation Order no longer applies.
 
Commenting on the lifting of the Water Conservation Order in Co. Offaly, Irish Water Engineer John Gavin said, ‘Due to rainfall levels in August, recovery levels have been significant in most of Co. Offaly however, some areas continue to be impacted by the Summer drought.  Irish Water continues to tanker water into the Lisduff reservoir on the Dunkerrin Public Water Supply Scheme and customers are experiencing periods in the evenings and at night where there is no water supply. We are also tankering water into Busherstown Water Treatment Plant on the Moneygall Public Water Supply Scheme. Again customers are experiencing night time restrictions.
 
 Irish Water is  commencing a programme  to find and fix leaks in these schemes, along with upgrade works on the Dunkerrin Water Treatment Plant which will positively impact on supply issues in these areas in the long-term.’’
 
In the rest of the country, In August, significant rain fell in the North and Western Regions, replenishing water sources in those areas to the extent that the specific usage prohibitions were lifted. However, at this time supplies in the Southern, Eastern and Midlands regions had not recovered and a new Water Conservation Order to cover the public water supplies in counties Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Meath, Westmeath, Louth and Dublin, was issued. The order took effect on the 1st September 2018 and was due to conclude at midnight on the 30th of September 2018.
 
However, increased rainfall has meant that the Water Conservation Orders can be lifted now. Rainfall rates have returned or are returning to average rates for the time of year at all observational stations in the Southern, Eastern and Midlands regions.
 
While this is very welcome news, it is essential that people continue to conserve water. We are really grateful for all the efforts people made over the past few months in their homes and businesses. It was really encouraging to see. Conserving water will make our water sources more resilient and help to safeguard our water for the future benefiting communities all across Offaly.

For tips on water conservation visit www.water.ie/conservation