Customers in South Leitrim urged to conserve water

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann is urging customers across South Leitrim to conserve water and protect supply. 

Following an increase in water usage by households and businesses, coupled with water main bursts in recent weeks, customers are being asked to be mindful of their usage, allow supply to catch up with demand and enable reservoirs to fully replenish.

High usage can lead to pressure reductions which can impact the supply to customers. The South Leitrim Regional Water Scheme, which supplies customers in the Corraleehan, Aughawillan and Ballinamore areas is experiencing increased demand. Customers can help reduce that demand by adopting simple water saving practices at home and at work.

Speaking about conserving water, Uisce Éireann’s Paul Kellegher, said: “There has been a noticeable increase in water demand across the South Leitrim areas in the past week. We are asking customers across the county to conserve water to give the reservoirs time to replenish. Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all homes and businesses. We would also appeal to customers to report any leaks to us on 1800 278 278 and, where possible, inspect for leaks at home or work by checking taps, joints, and exposed pipes inside and outside your property. We have been working hard to maintain supply for our customers, however, we may have to move to nighttime restrictions if reservoir levels do not improve in the coming days to ensure we can meet peak time demand across all of South Leitrim.”

Paul added: “It’s important that we all consider our water usage and look at simple yet impactful ways to conserve water. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference.”

For more simple ways to conserve water, check out the Uisce Éireann conservation calculator which can help people work out how much water they are currently using and how they can conserve even more. 

Below are some easy water-saving tips: 

• Turn off the tap: Brushing your teeth with the tap running wastes up to six litres of water per minute. Turning it off while brushing can reduce that to just one litre.
• Switch to a shower: Showers use about half the amount of water as baths. Invest in water saving appliances such as water efficient taps and shower heads.
• Shorter showers: With the average shower using seven litres of water per minute by turning your five-minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to seven litres of water per day.
• Fully load your appliances: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machine are fully loaded before use. A typical washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water, and a dishwasher uses around 20 litres per cycle. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water, but you will also reduce your energy bills.
• Leave the hose in the shed: Use a rose head watering can to water your plants instead of a hose or sprinkler. Running a hose for just one hour uses as much water as a family would typically need in an entire day.
• Bucket and sponge for your car: Using a bucket and sponge to wash your car can save hundreds of litres of water compared to using a hose or power washer.

More information on water conservation can be found at the conservation page. Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278 or online at Report a Leak.

Uisce Éireann’s customer care team is available 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries. For further updates, visit the service and supply page.

Uisce Éireann has a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page.