Uisce Éireann renews conservation appeal to Galway customers

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

Homes and businesses in East Galway are being urged to conserve water in the current spell of warm weather.

In particular, Uisce Éireann is asking customers in Athenry, Clarinbridge, Kilcoglan and Ballinderreen to be mindful of their usage over the coming days, and to take steps to conserve water where possible.

Uisce Éireann’s Operations Manager Gerard Greally, said that simple steps can go a long way towards protecting local water supplies and reducing the likelihood of outages or nighttime restrictions.

“We are experiencing high demand across the county, which is only set to rise as the warm weather continues over the coming days,” said Gerard.

“In Athenry, Clarinbridge, Kilcoglan and Ballinderreen, in particular, demand is at a very high level. We’re urging customers in those areas, and across Galway more generally, to be diligent in how they use water over the coming days, and to do their best to protect supplies for themselves and their neighbours.”

Customers are encouraged to be alert to signs of leaks on their property, such as persistent damp patches on lawns or driveways. Uisce Éireann’s First Fix Free scheme provides a free repair for qualifying underground leaks on private property once identified. To report leaks on the public water network, customers can contact Uisce Éireann’s 24/7 helpdesk at 1800 278 278 or visit our Report a Leak page.

Below are some simple water-saving tips everyone can follow, to help protect supplies:  

• 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.

To access the water conservation calculator or find out more about water conservation tips, visit our Conservation section of the website.