Uisce Éireann is urging customers in Taylorstown and Gorey to support ongoing water conservation efforts following a period of high demand. Teams are undertaking a number of measures to protect water supplies including additional monitoring and leak detection and sharing some simple steps to help conserve water and safeguard our precious supplies over the summer months.
Padraig Lyng, Uisce Éireann’s Operations Manager in Wexford said: “Reduced river and groundwater levels coupled with high demand are impacting supplies in both Gorey and Taylorstown. In response to this we have increased our leakage detection, pipe repairs, and other network management activities to help offset this demand.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and take measures to manage supplies as we go through the summer months. However, we welcome any support the public can provide by doing what they can to decrease their use, which will help reduce the need for additional measures such as nighttime restrictions and outages.”
Simple actions, such as taking a shorter shower, placing a basin in the sink and fixing leaking taps can all make a significant impact. Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator to help people find out how much water they’re saving and what they can do to save even more. Check it out at water.ie/calculator.
This is also a good time for people to identify any underground leaks outside their home or business. Signs of such leaks may include persistent moisture in areas of the lawn or driveway during dry weather. Uisce Éireann’s first fix free scheme provides for a free leak repair on private property where such a leak is identified. We would especially appreciate those who have been contacted for a free leak investigation engage with us to resolve potential leaks.
There is information on the scheme, along with lots of easy-to-follow water-saving tips, on water.ie. To report leaks in the public network, or for more information, the Uisce Éireann helpdesk is available 24/7 at 1800 278 278.
Key Tips to help you conserve water
- Leak free: Check that your home is leak free. Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes
- Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to a staggering six litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest one litre of water
- Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water compared to an average shower using 49 litres in seven minutes. Switch your bath to a shower for a massive water saving
- Less time: With the average shower using seven litres of water per minute by turning your five-minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to seven litres of water per day!
- Fully loaded: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A modern washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water per cycle while a dishwasher uses 20 litres. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water, but you will also reduce your energy bills
- Don’t flush it all away: A third of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. Some larger cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush. Place a displacement device into the cistern (out of the way of moving parts) to save water
Water Conservation Tips for Business
- Conduct a water audit to see where savings can be made.
- Appoint water stewards who will champion water conservation.
- Invest in water efficient devices and appliances such as dual flush toilets, mixer taps and low flow showers.
- Raise awareness amongst customers and employees with water conservation notices and signage.
