A six-week hosepipe ban is to come into effect next week for three areas amid “historically low” water supply, the earliest such prohibition to date announced by Uisce Éireann.
It follows record-high April temperatures and a “drier than normal” 12 months, with below-average rainfall leading to one water supply reaching a 50-year low.
The water conservation orders will take effect after midnight on Tuesday for Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Milford, Co Donegal and Kells-Oldcastle, Co Meath.
The ban will prohibit the use of garden hosepipes for non-essential purposes such as watering plants, filling paddling pools or washing cars.
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Uisce Éireann said it is the earliest time of the year a water conservation order has been issued with previous bans coming into effect in June 2020, July 2018 and September 2022.
The ban has been issued in an attempt to safeguard supplies for essential purposes and comes as dry conditions led to a “sharp drop” in supply levels, it said. The utility also noted that Lough Owel, which supplies the Mullingar Public Water Supply, is at its lowest point in 50 years.
Lough Colmcille and Lough Bane, meanwhile, which supply Milford and Kells-Oldcastle are also at “historically low levels”.
While the ban will apply to the three areas only, the utility appealed to the public to be “mindful of their use of water as we enter the summer months”.
Although the majority of the State’s 700 or so public water supplies continue to meet demand, Uisce Éireann is implementing measures at 14 locations to maintain supplies.
Alongside the three areas subject to hosepipe bans from Tuesday, these include parts of Kilkenny, Galway, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary.
“Nationally, we have seen issues at all sources due to the fact that rainfall has been below average across most of Ireland for the last 12 months,” said a spokesman.
Water levels started to recover at many sites following last week’s rain, though the areas subject to the incoming ban have shown limited recovery as they have relatively small surface water catchments.
Uisce Éireann anticipates that a “prolonged period of significant rainfall” is required for the sources to recover.
“We are asking everyone to play their part in conserving water and reporting leaks to help alleviate the pressure on our water supplies,” said head of water operations Margaret Attridge.
It comes as the record temperature for April in Ireland was recorded on Wednesday, reaching 25.9 degrees in Athenry, Co Galway, according to provisional data.
It surpassed the previous April record of 25.8 degrees recorded in Glenties, Co Donegal, in 1984.
On Thursday, the highest temperature recorded fell to 22.5 degrees at Cork Airport, according to provisional Met Éireann data.
While temperatures are set to fall throughout the bank holiday weekend, conditions are forecast to remain largely dry.
A mix of cloud and sunny spells are forecast for Friday with a few light showers developing earlier on, while highs ranging from 13 degrees to 18 degrees are expected.
Saturday will start dry and sunny for most before turning cloudy. This will be followed by more spells of sunshine, with highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees expected.
Sunday, meanwhile, will have scattered showers most likely over Leinster and parts of Munster.
Highs of 11 to 15 degrees are expected during the day with lows of 2 to 7 degrees forecast at night.
While the bank holiday Monday is forecast to be mostly dry and cloudy, some sunny spells are expected in the morning and evening, with highs of 11 to 14 degrees forecast.
High pressure will continue to bring largely dry and settled conditions after Monday, with temperatures expected to increase gradually again throughout next week.
