Irish Water said the ban could be extended across the country if the situation worsens.
Parts of Cork have been hit with a lengthy hosepipe ban, with almost 40,000 people set to be affected.
Irish Water has officially issued a ban in a bid to conserve water, with 30 supplies in West Cork struggling due to “severe stress” on resources, brought on by a lack of rainfall and the onset of continual dry weather.
The water conservation order comes into effect from midnight on Monday, 29 August and will remain in place for four weeks.
The water supplies affected by the ban are as follows:
- Adrigole
- Allihies
- Bantry
- Bayview
- Caheragh
- Cahermore
- Cape Clear
- Castletownbere
- Clonakilty
- Cluain Court Allihies
- Coppeen
- Crookhaven
- Crosterra
- Drinagh
- Dromore Bantry
- Dunmanway
- Durrus
- Dursey Island
- Glengarriff
- Goleen
- Johnstown
- Kealkill
- Kilcrohane
- Lyre Clonakilty
- Reenmeen West
- Skibbereen
- Tarelton
- Toormore
- Whiddy Island
“Our top priority is to protect our water supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services,” noted an Irish Water spokesperson. “Water levels at our surface water and ground water sources in the West Cork area have reduced to historic lows.”
Irish Water’s map of the area may be viewed here.
Speaking on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 on Monday, Southern Regional Manager of Irish Water Margaret Attridge noted that using a hosepipe for one hour results in the usage of 1,000 litres of water.
Attridge pointed to Met Éireann’s forecast of mostly dry conditions over the next month, resulting in a lack of rainfall accumulation and thus the need for the general public to tighten up on household water usage.
Asked if the hosepipe ban could be extended to other counties, Attridge said that Irish Water is regularly monitoring the situation and hopes to avoid further widespread conversation restrictions, though this could change “if the situation deteriorates” in the weeks to come.
A water conservation calculator may be accessed here.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
