Why does our island nation find water conservation so difficult?

There are regular shortages of water in parts of Africa, Asia and Australia.

Ireland has an abundance. It seems strict to charge for its supply to households and to give the contract to private operators, when the price will increase and cause hardship for those on low incomes. Water is essential. Some countries are returning control of the public water supply from private companies to local government. Ireland is going in the opposite direction.

We’ve had alerts from Cork County Council to not use too much water in parts of the county during the seven days, and counting, of glorious heatwave — unusual, given that so much rain fell in the previous nine months and with deep flooding last winter. It is Ireland’s first heatwave in five years and Met Eireann gave out high heat-warning alerts of over 27 degrees daily. It has reached 29 to 30 degrees.