Water shortages in counties Donegal, Galway and Westmeath have led to Irish Water advising all water consumers, including farmers, to conserve and minimise water usage for the foreseeable future.
“Unseasonably dry weather over a number of months and throughout last winter” has affected the supplies of raw water, according to Irish Water.
“In some cases where water supplies are seriously compromised, we have had to impose water restrictions during times of lower demand,” it added.
Galway
Reservoir levels on the Williamstown supply in Galway have reached a critical point, according to Irish Water, and people are urged to conserve treated water supply.
Early indicators show that the increase in demand is due to seasonal agricultural activity in the area.
The company is searching for leaks in the area but it says “early indicators show that the increase in demand is due to seasonal agricultural activity in the area”.
A spokeswoman for Irish Water told the Irish Farmer Journal that farmers in the area are using more than average water and, in some cases, are having to use the public supply more than usual as the dry weather is restricting their options.
High demand from dairy herds, turlough and swallow holes being drier, and on-farm wells being drier were among the reasons for increased use of water by farmers in the area.
Islands
Also in Co Galway, Irish Water has started bringing water to Inis Oirr to ensure the availability of a drinking water supply for islanders and visitors during the summer.
It says “unavoidable” night-time water restrictions on Inis Oirr from 11pm to 7am will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
On Inis Meain, the water conservation notice issued for the island on 4 May remains in place. Nightly water restrictions on Inis Mór have ceased following heavy rainfall.
Donegal
In Donegal, householders and farmers using water from Lough Colm, which serves the Milford, Kerrykeel, Rathmullan, and Ramelton areas, and also Lough Fad, which serves Quigley’s Point, Redcastle, Moville and part of Greencastle, have been asked to conserve as much water as possible due to local shortages.
Westmeath
In Westmeath, householders and farmers are urged to conserve water due to the exceptionally low levels of raw water from Lough Owel. Irish Water and Westmeath County Council are repairing leaks on the Mullingar Regional Water Supply public network and almost 100 leaks have been repaired on the Lough Owel network.
The leak repairs, it says, provide vital relief following unseasonably dry weather conditions which have resulted in historically low water levels in Lough Owel for this time of year.
In all locations Irish Water is working with the local authority to find and repair leaks, prioritising those that are having the greatest impact and appealing to the public to report any leaks they see on the public network by calling its customer care helpline, which is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278.
Water conservation advice
Carry out visual checks along your private pipework on the farm to detect leaks regularly. Inspect the ground above your pipes for visible signs of leaks such as unusually damp ground, lusher than expected vegetation (sign of recent leak) or reduced community/rush vegetation (consequence of a long-term leak).Regularly check all water meters (including remote ones) to identify possible leaks. You can carry out ‘night flow’ tests by taking readings over a set period of time when water usage should be low, and all water-using appliances have been switched off. If the night usage is unusually high or the counter is still running when everything is turned off, you may have a leak. To keep track of usage and potential leaks, you can complete these flow tests on a regular basis.If you suspect you may have a leak on your pipework, you can shut off sections of your network to assess the change in flow. Wet drains after a period without rain can indicate blockages or water from a leak may be flowing into them.Overflowing drinking troughs and incorrectly set or damaged ball-valves can waste significant amounts of water. Adjust the ball valves to lower the float or replace faulty parts. Drain troughs when they are not being used during the winter to avoid frost damage. You can cover the unused trough or turn upside down for frost protection. Fix dripping taps and hosepipes around the farm promptly by replacing washers and fix overflows to avoid water wastage.Do not leave taps and hosepipes unattended when running or fit automatic shut-off valves. The higher the water pressure, the more water is wasted when a leak develops. Where possible, use control valves at strategic points across your water network.You can use dry-cleaning techniques, such as scrapers and brushes, to remove solid waste from yards and pens before hosing. You can also use a small amount of water (eg one bucket) to pre-soak waste before cleaning.On dairy farms, clean plate-cooling water can be diverted to a tank and used for parlour washing.Rainwater harvested from roofs of farm buildings can be used for a variety of activities, eg washing down yards. Consider the level of rainwater quality required for specific water uses on the farm (eg plant nurseries and field irrigation) and the surfaces and contamination risks before you consider installing appropriate rainwater harvesting, treatment (filtration and UV) and storage systems.Water your crops efficiently by irrigating at the right time of day to meet crop needs and reduce losses through evaporation; use the correct pump/pipe size, do not irrigate when it is windy and consider irrigating at night to reduce evaporation losses further.Weekend weather: showers to return
Hottest June day in the last 20 years
Farmer writes: feeling the heat
Water shortages in counties Donegal, Galway and Westmeath have led to Irish Water advising all water consumers, including farmers, to conserve and minimise water usage for the foreseeable future.
“Unseasonably dry weather over a number of months and throughout last winter” has affected the supplies of raw water, according to Irish Water.
“In some cases where water supplies are seriously compromised, we have had to impose water restrictions during times of lower demand,” it added.
Galway
Reservoir levels on the Williamstown supply in Galway have reached a critical point, according to Irish Water, and people are urged to conserve treated water supply.
Early indicators show that the increase in demand is due to seasonal agricultural activity in the area.
The company is searching for leaks in the area but it says “early indicators show that the increase in demand is due to seasonal agricultural activity in the area”.
A spokeswoman for Irish Water told the Irish Farmer Journal that farmers in the area are using more than average water and, in some cases, are having to use the public supply more than usual as the dry weather is restricting their options.
High demand from dairy herds, turlough and swallow holes being drier, and on-farm wells being drier were among the reasons for increased use of water by farmers in the area.
Islands
Also in Co Galway, Irish Water has started bringing water to Inis Oirr to ensure the availability of a drinking water supply for islanders and visitors during the summer.
It says “unavoidable” night-time water restrictions on Inis Oirr from 11pm to 7am will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
On Inis Meain, the water conservation notice issued for the island on 4 May remains in place. Nightly water restrictions on Inis Mór have ceased following heavy rainfall.
Donegal
In Donegal, householders and farmers using water from Lough Colm, which serves the Milford, Kerrykeel, Rathmullan, and Ramelton areas, and also Lough Fad, which serves Quigley’s Point, Redcastle, Moville and part of Greencastle, have been asked to conserve as much water as possible due to local shortages.
Westmeath
In Westmeath, householders and farmers are urged to conserve water due to the exceptionally low levels of raw water from Lough Owel. Irish Water and Westmeath County Council are repairing leaks on the Mullingar Regional Water Supply public network and almost 100 leaks have been repaired on the Lough Owel network.
The leak repairs, it says, provide vital relief following unseasonably dry weather conditions which have resulted in historically low water levels in Lough Owel for this time of year.
In all locations Irish Water is working with the local authority to find and repair leaks, prioritising those that are having the greatest impact and appealing to the public to report any leaks they see on the public network by calling its customer care helpline, which is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278.
Water conservation advice
Carry out visual checks along your private pipework on the farm to detect leaks regularly. Inspect the ground above your pipes for visible signs of leaks such as unusually damp ground, lusher than expected vegetation (sign of recent leak) or reduced community/rush vegetation (consequence of a long-term leak).Regularly check all water meters (including remote ones) to identify possible leaks. You can carry out ‘night flow’ tests by taking readings over a set period of time when water usage should be low, and all water-using appliances have been switched off. If the night usage is unusually high or the counter is still running when everything is turned off, you may have a leak. To keep track of usage and potential leaks, you can complete these flow tests on a regular basis.If you suspect you may have a leak on your pipework, you can shut off sections of your network to assess the change in flow. Wet drains after a period without rain can indicate blockages or water from a leak may be flowing into them.Overflowing drinking troughs and incorrectly set or damaged ball-valves can waste significant amounts of water. Adjust the ball valves to lower the float or replace faulty parts. Drain troughs when they are not being used during the winter to avoid frost damage. You can cover the unused trough or turn upside down for frost protection. Fix dripping taps and hosepipes around the farm promptly by replacing washers and fix overflows to avoid water wastage.Do not leave taps and hosepipes unattended when running or fit automatic shut-off valves. The higher the water pressure, the more water is wasted when a leak develops. Where possible, use control valves at strategic points across your water network.You can use dry-cleaning techniques, such as scrapers and brushes, to remove solid waste from yards and pens before hosing. You can also use a small amount of water (eg one bucket) to pre-soak waste before cleaning.On dairy farms, clean plate-cooling water can be diverted to a tank and used for parlour washing.Rainwater harvested from roofs of farm buildings can be used for a variety of activities, eg washing down yards. Consider the level of rainwater quality required for specific water uses on the farm (eg plant nurseries and field irrigation) and the surfaces and contamination risks before you consider installing appropriate rainwater harvesting, treatment (filtration and UV) and storage systems.Water your crops efficiently by irrigating at the right time of day to meet crop needs and reduce losses through evaporation; use the correct pump/pipe size, do not irrigate when it is windy and consider irrigating at night to reduce evaporation losses further.Weekend weather: showers to return
Hottest June day in the last 20 years
Farmer writes: feeling the heat
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