Further reductions to water restrictions on Aran Islands confirmed

Further review to be taken on Friday

Irish Water has confirmed that the water restrictions on both Inis Mór and Inis Oirr will be maintained from 11pm nightly to 7am daily for the rest of this week with a further review of the situation to be taken on Friday.

Heavy and persistent rainfall over the weekend has raised the water storage levels sufficiently on both islands to lead to the reduction in the restrictions on Inis Oirr and to maintain the current level of restrictions already in place in Inis Mór.

On Friday last, Irish Water, working in partnership with Galway County Council, made the decision to reduce the restrictions on Inis Mór following a period of rainfall. However, the situation on Inis Oirr remained critical with very little recharge of the water stores. However, the weekend rain has replenished water stores on both islands sufficiently to ensure that restrictions will be contained from 11pm to 7am daily.

Irish Water has commenced tankering water to Inis Oirr to ensure the availability of a drinking water supply for islanders and visitors to the island.

Meanwhile, Irish Water would like to remind residents, business owners and visitors to Inis Meáin that the water conservation notice issued last month remains in place.

Working in partnership with Galway County Council, Irish Water has urged residents, businesses and visitors to the Aran Islands to conserve water every way possible during this critical period.

Commenting Irish Water’s Operations Water lead for Galway City and County Ger Greally said “We are happy that the water supply restrictions are being contained to 11pm to 7am daily for the short term and we will review the situation again on Friday. With forecasts of good weather coming we can’t be too complacent and the situation on all three of the Aran Islands will be continued to be monitored closely throughout the summer.”

Irish Water has had to impose these restrictions and issue the water conservation notices due to the unseasonably dry weather conditions which have resulted in historically low water levels on the islands for this time of year.

Working in partnership with Galway County Council, Irish Water is asking people supplied by these public water schemes to conserve water as much as possible and to report any leaks they see on the public network by calling our customer care helpline which is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278. 

With demand on water supplies expected to increase even further over the summer months, Irish Water is asking the public for their assistance by reporting all leaks to help conserve water and reduce loss of water in the network due to leakage.

Irish Water and Galway County Council would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to thank the public in advance for their co-operation. We will continue to update you on the situation and will advise when you can return to normal usage.

Irish Water’s Top Tips for Conserving Water:

• Leak free: Check that your home is leak free. Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes.
• Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to a staggering 6 litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest 1 litre of water.
• Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water compared to an average shower using 49 litres in seven minutes. Switch your bath to a shower for a massive water saving.
• Less time: With the average shower using 7 litres of water per minute by turning your five minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to 7 litres of water per day!
• Fully loaded: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A modern washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water per cycle while a dishwasher uses 20 litres. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water but you will also reduce your energy bills.
• Don’t flush it all away: A third of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. Some larger cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush. Place a displacement device into the cistern (out of the way of moving parts) to save water.
• Don’t forget to collect: Rainwater is excellent for your garden. Collect it in a water butt from your gutters but always make sure to securely cover the large container for safety.