Kildare communities urged to conserve water as exceptionally high demand puts pressure on local supplies

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

Uisce Éireann is asking customers across County Kildare to conserve water as increased use during the current spell of warm weather means supplies are being used faster than water can be treated.

While raw water sources remain stable, the level of demand is placing pressure on the treatment process. This means treated water is being used more quickly than it can be produced and stored in local reservoirs such as Allen Reservoir.

Customers in Coill Dubh, Prosperous, Derrinturn, Kilmeage, Robertstown, Allenwood, and surrounding areas are being encouraged to reduce usage where possible to allow treated water reservoirs time to recover. This will help maintain a consistent supply for homes and businesses across the county.

Periods of sustained high demand can lead to reduced pressure and, in some cases, interruptions to the availability of water for customers. Simple steps taken at home, in the garden, and at work can collectively make a real difference in protecting supply.

Uisce Éireann’s Stephen Burke said: "Our teams are working around the clock to maintain water supplies across County Kildare and are currently producing very significant volumes of drinking water every day to meet demand. While every effort is being made to avoid additional measures, we may need to consider temporary overnight restrictions to help protect daytime supplies if demand remains exceptionally high.  We are asking customers to help by reducing non-essential water use wherever possible. Small changes made by households, businesses, sporting clubs, community groups and visitors can collectively make a significant difference and help protect supplies for everyone.”

Customers can find practical water-saving advice and access Uisce Éireann's Water Conservation Calculator here.

Tips to Conserve 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, while a 7-minute shower uses just 49 litres. Switching to showers can save a significant amount of water.
• Drop the hose: Drop the hose during the summer months. Use a rose head watering can to water your plants, instead of a hose or sprinkler.
• Install a water butt: Use it to collect rainwater from your gutters for gardening or washing the yard.
• Drinking troughs: On the farm, 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.
• 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.

Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278 or on our Report a Leak page.

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 Supply and Services section of our website.

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 our Text Alerts page.