Hot spell prompts water saving tips for Clare

WITH the first indications of a hot summer popping up this week, Clare County Council has issued some water conservation tips.
In partnership with Irish Water, the Council is urging the public to conserve water to ensure a consistent supply for all, especially at a time when that supply comes under more pressure.
The utility is predicting an increase in domestic and commercial demand for water over the coming months and customers are asked to take some simple measures to conserve water in their homes, their businesses and on their farms.
Small changes can have lasting results, says Irish Water. Examples from the bathroom include taking a shorter shower, which can save up to 10 litres of water per minute. Or, just turning off the tap wile brushing your teeth or shaving, can save up to six litres of water per minute. Fixing dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home is another way of saving water.
And excess collected water from baths, showers, and hand basins can be used in the garden. Outside, using a rose head watering can instead of a hose and aiming for the roots can make for more efficient water use.
The advice if you need to wash your car is to use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose. You can also report any leaks to Irish Water at 1800 278 278.
Duane O’Brien, Irish Water, said: “We are continuing to work with our local authority partners to ensure everyone enjoys a reliable water supply during the busy summer period and beyond. We are also asking the public to take note of their water usage and conserve where possible.

“Conserving water is something that we should be doing year round, not just when supplies come under pressure due to drought conditions and seasonal increases in demand.
“As demand increases we are appealing to the public to redouble their efforts in conserving water in the home, in the garden, at work and on the farm, especially during the busy months of July and August when staycations will be at a peak and demand is expected to soar.
“This applies particularly to tourist hotspots in popular coastal regions and tourist destinations throughout the country of which we are lucky to have so many and where large influxes of visitors are expected.
“As rivers, lakes and groundwater levels reduce through the summer and autumn period, there is less water available for supply, while at the same time the warmer weather gives rise to increased water demands for domestic, agricultural and leisure uses.
“There are lots of helpful tips for conserving water on water.ie but the key things are to leave the hose and the pressure washer in the shed; don’t use paddling pools; reuse household water for the garden; and take shorter showers. Safeguarding the supply of water is essential at this time when handwashing and hygiene is of critical importance. We are calling on everyone to play their part.”
Irish Water has been carefully monitoring all of its raw water sources, that is the water from lakes, rivers, springs and ground sources that feed our water treatment plants. Night-time restrictions have been used in a small number of locations across the country to ensure a consistent day time supply for all. While the public are being asked to conserve, there are currently no plans to implement a Water Conservation Order.
Duane continued: “In Irish Water, we are continually working with our local authority partners to look at what we call the supply/demand balance. This means that we need to ensure that we can supply more treated drinking water than is required for use. We can manage this by conserving water; losing less by repairing leaks; and supplying smarter by ensuring that all of our plants are working optimally.
“We can all work together to protect our supplies and safeguard our water for essential usage.”