28/06/2010
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
Every Drop Counts!
Councils call for help conserving water in the Dublin region.
- consumption must be reduced if restrictions are to be avoided
- Hoses use more water in one hour than an entire family uses in one day
Local authorities in the Dublin Water region (South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council) are calling on all water users to play their part in conserving water. Today they are issuing an urgent water conservation message to all water users due to the dramatic increase in demand for water during recent fine weather. Water is produced on a 24 hour basis in Dublin and the Region’s water treatment plants are operating at full capacity to meet demand which has been rising in recent weeks. Increased consumption and excessive use of garden hoses in particular are having a serious effect on water storage in Dublin in recent weeks.
Senior Engineers with the Council's Water Services Departments are advising that its time to get serious about how we use water in Dublin. If current demand continues, water restrictions may have to be introduced to make sure enough water is available for everyone during the day but any decision to introduce restrictions will be made on a regional basis and consumers will be notified in advance.
The majority of water users don’t realise how much they waste by leaving taps or hoses running and a garden hose uses more water in one hour than an entire family would use in a day. Hosing gardens or stockpiling water at a time like this can making a difficult situation impossible to manage, the Engineers say.
Simple changes in how people use their water supply will really help that available supply to go a lot further. Taps or hoses should never, ever, be left running, especially to water lawns or to wash cars. Water should never be stockpiled in baths, pots or buckets when supplies are low and this can be the final straw when supplies are critical.
Council Engineers also confirm that available water supply is always managed to make sure water is available at times of greatest demand and that any restrictions are applied to specific uses or at a time when disruption is least, usually at night.
Follow these simple water saving tips to conserve water at all times:
- NEVER hose your lawns when supplies are restricted
- DO NOT stockpile water by filling baths
- Keep a jug of water in the fridge
- Use a basin to clean fruit and vegetables, use a bucket to wash your car or windows
- Fix leaking taps and turn off your supply if you have a burst pipe
- Use your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full
- Don’t leave the tap running when you wash your teeth
- A shower uses less water than a bath
Regular updates are available on South Dublin County Councils website www.sdcc.ie and on Twitter.com/sdublincoco
Check out www.taptips.ie for a whole range of simple effective water conservation tips.