Water cuts to continue as councils repair leaks

WATER pressure reductions and cuts in supply are likely to continue this week as local authorities across the country continue to repair existing and emerging leaks.

Water supplies remain at a critically low level in many parts of the country and households are being asked to continue to reduce consumption.

Burst mains and a surge in demand caused by householders letting taps run to avoid frozen pipes are largely to blame.

Householders were being warned at the weekend that a lack of pressure and occasional shut-offs in supply could still be expected.

* Dublin City Council was reducing pressure throughout the system over the weekend in order to conserve supplies.

Tankers were being deployed to those areas most affected by the pressure reductions.

* Cork City Council was maintaining normal daytime water supply across the city, with limited night-time supply in operation in parts of the city, especially on the northside where major losses have arisen.

“While it is expected that restrictions will continue into next week, the areas affected should reduce progressively as leaks are repaired,” the council stated.

* Galway County Council said night-time restrictions would be placed on some supplies to conserve water and allow reservoir levels to build over the weekend.

* South Tipperary County Council warned that a number of areas would be left without night-time supplies from 7pm to 7am until further notice.

* Limerick County Council said water demand due to pipe bursts and leaks had reduced and was currently in line with production.

Water has been fully restored to most parts of the county, although isolated housing estates and areas were continuing to experience low water pressure.

* Waterford County Council has experienced problems with the water supply in the Tramore, Dunmore East, Faithlegge and Cheekpoint areas. In Tramore, supplies were turned off between 10pm and 1pm over the last three days to conserve water.

* Clare County Council has warned that shut-offs and restrictions in water supplies in some areas will continue for this week.

Meanwhile, Arklow and south Wicklow were counting the cost of the worst flooding in over 23 years at the weekend.

The Avoca River became swollen with rainwater and melted snow, with houses and shops flooded in Arklow and Wicklow. The main bridge in Arklow was closed to traffic on Saturday because of the volume of water passing underneath. The bridge re-opened yesterday after a safety inspection.

The River Vartry burst its banks between Ashford and Rathnew, leaving the famous Mount Usher Gardens badly flooded.

Head gardener Sean Heffernan said almost the entire width of the gardens was covered in water and that the flooding was almost as bad as that caused by Hurricane Charley in 1986.