Irish Water remind people of Tipp to conserve water as temperatures soar

Photo Courtesy of Irish Water

Irish Water are reminding people in Tipperary to conserve water as temperatures soar.

This comes as increased demand for water during the warmer weather and lower-than-average rainfall levels have caused levels to drop in local water sources.

Supplies that are currently coming under pressure include: the Galtee Regional Scheme, Carrick on Suir, Clonmel, Coalbrook, Glengar, Commons, Lorraha and Riverstown.

To help people be to be more mindful of their water usage, Irish Water have developed a conservation calculator to work out how much water is being saved and how they can conserve even more, this can be found on their website, water.ie

At Home:

  • Take a shorter shower
  • Fix dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home
  • When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap and save up to 6 litres of water per minute
  • Avoid using paddling pools
  • If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose
  • Report any external leaks to Irish Water at 1800 278 278. No leak fixes itself and every leak gets progressively worse. The escaping water can weaken the ground or cause slippery footpaths and roads. The leaking water reduces the supply pressure for adjacent properties. What looks like a small leak at the surface can be using the equivalent to 20-30 households.

In the garden:

  • Save and reuse water collected from baths, showers, and hand basins in the garden
  • In the garden use a rose head watering can instead of a hose and aim for the roots
  • Consider installing a water butt to collect rainwater-this can then be used for watering the garden during dry weather
  • Do your watering in the evening, when it won’t evaporate
  • Pots and containers need lots of water to prevent drying out, so plant directly into the ground as much as possible
  • Another good tip is to add a layer of plant material, like bark, to your flower bed to prevent evaporation and reduce the need for watering

On the Farm:

  • Fix troughs – Watch out for overflowing drinking troughs as they can waste significant amounts of water. Adjust the ball valves to lower the float or replace faulty parts.
  • Dry cleaning: Save water when cleaning the yard by using dry-cleaning techniques. Use scrapers and brushes to remove solid waste from yards and pens before hosing. You can also use a small amount of water (e.g. one bucket) to pre-soak waste before cleaning.
  • -Clean plate cooler water: If you own a dairy farm, you can divert clean plate cooler water to a tank and use it for parlour washing
  • Consider Rainwater Harvesting – rain from the roofs of farm buildings can be used for a variety of activities such as washing down yards. Consider the level of rain water quality required for specific water uses on the farm (e.g. plant nurseries and field irrigation) and the surfaces and contamination risks before you consider installing appropriate rain water harvesting, treatment (filtration and UV) and storage systems.
  • Take action to protect water sources: Avoid contamination of surface waters by reducing or eliminating access to livestock by fencing off watercourses. Pollution containing animal faeces can affect the water environment, nutrients and soil. Destroyed bankside vegetation can also contribute to flooding.

There are lots more water saving tips for farmers on our website at https://www.water.ie/conservation/business/take-action/agriculture/

More information on water conservation can be found at https://www.water.ie/conservation/