Hosepipe ban in effect for Cork, Tipperary and Waterford for next seven weeks

Restrictions will apply in Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford as water supplies hit historic lows after dry year

The ban prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users. File picture

A hosepipe ban will take effect in Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford from Saturday, July 26.

The water conservation orders will remain in place for seven and a half weeks, until September 16.

They join three existing bans already in effect in Mullingar (Westmeath), Milford (Donegal), and Kells-Oldcastle (Meath).

Cork City is not included in the ban.

The ban prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential water use by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial purposes, such as watering gardens attached to a business.

The measures aim to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes.

Uisce Éireann say there has been a "sharp increase in demand across these four counties since the start of the summer," 

This increase has put additional pressure on rivers and other sources, many of which are at historically low levels following a drier-than-average autumn, winter, and spring.

Explaining the decision, Mairead Conlon of Uisce Éireann, said: "Our top priority is to protect our water supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services. The past 12 months have been drier than normal when compared to the long-term average. 

"And while recent rainfall has brought some respite, it will take much longer for all our supplies to recover. The situation is compounded by recent increased demand in the south of the country which is associated with warm weather, and other factors such as tourist activity in some areas. "

Ms Conlon added that almost 50 water supplies are currently in drought status.

As such, Uisce Éireann is appealing to all customers — regardless of whether their area is under a hosepipe ban — to be mindful of water usage, as many supplies across the country remain under pressure.

In recent weeks, Uisce Éireann has implemented several measures to protect and maintain supply, including enhanced leak repairs, water tankering, pressure management, and public awareness campaigns to help reduce demand.

Some easy water-saving tips include:

• Leave the hose in the shed: Use a rose-head watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler. Running a hose for one hour uses as much water as a family typically needs in a day.
• Bucket and sponge for your car: Washing your car with a bucket and sponge can save hundreds of litres compared to using a hose or power washer.
• Turn off the tap: Leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth wastes up to six litres per minute. Turning it off reduces this to one litre.
• Switch to a shower: Showers use about half the water of a bath. Install water-efficient taps and showerheads to save even more.
• Shorter showers: The average shower uses seven litres per minute. Reducing your five-minute shower to four minutes saves up to seven litres per day.
• Fully load your appliances: Always run your dishwasher and washing machine with full loads. A typical wash uses about 65 litres of water; a dishwasher uses around 20 litres per cycle. This not only conserves water but also cuts energy bills.