‘Scattered showers’ forecasted this week will fall far below what is needed to restore water levels Irish Water’s senior management will meet this morning to assess the ongoing drought despite expectations of “scattered showers” crossing Ireland by the end of the week.
Reports on water usage from the utility’s Northwest, Southern and Eastern and Midlands regions will be used to assess the possible need for further restrictions following the all-areas hosepipe ban.
Already Irish Water has restrictions in place in a number of towns, with 8,000 consumers in Athlone, Co Westmeath, on reduced pressure overnight.
A similar situation is affecting Portlaoise, with 5,000 people experiencing reduced pressure.
There are also concerns about the supply in Galway city and coastal areas as day-trippers flocked to the seaside over the weekend.
In recent days Met Éireann said soil moisture levels were so low that a week of sustained rainfall would be necessary before the lakes and rivers start to recover from the drought.
The State’s high dependency on ground water supplies are particularly vulnerable to drought, according to Irish Water.
On Saturday Irish Water said the possibility of no rain falling in the near future could lead to further restrictions, such as night-time pressure reductions being extended to the commercial sector.
If these measures prove insufficient, Irish Water would have to consider wider reductions in water pressure, and a ban on all non-essential usage, including window washing and watering sports pitches.
Defying the ban can attract a fine of up to €125, but the majority of calls have been from people seeking clarification or advice on restrictions and outages, Irish Water said.