Nighttime restrictions in Ballinagh area lifted

The night-time restrictions which were in place on the public water supply in Ballinagh have been lifted with immediate effect.

Night-time restrictions were introduced on Thursday evening in response to supplies of treated water in the Ballyjamesduff Regional Supply Scheme falling to critically low levels. However, supplies have now recovered sufficiently for the restrictions to be lifted.

Night-time restrictions remain in effect in Cavan Town between the hours of 11pm and 7am. A nationwide Water Conservation Order has come into effect for all counties, including Cavan, as of this morning (Friday).

Peter Gallagher of Uisce Éireann thanked customers in Ballinagh for their understanding while the restrictions were in effect.

“We introduced the restrictions yesterday in response to increasing pressure on our treated water supplies in the area. Thanks in no small part to the co-operation of the public in terms of limiting their usage, we are now in a position to lift the night-time restrictions and return to a normal supply," said Peter.

“We wish to thank the residents and businesses of Ballinagh for their support while the restrictions were in place and renew our appeal to all customers to be mindful of their water usage during the current spell of fine weather.”

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 six litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest one litre of water.
•    Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water, while a seven-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 https://www.water.ie/conservation