Uisce Éireann has issued a water conservation order – otherwise known as a hosepipe ban – for all of Cork county from, Saturday July 26th.
The utilities company said despite recent rainfall groundwater resources remain critically low driven by high domestic, agricultural and seasonal tourism demand.
The order, which is not being enforced in Cork city, will apply for seven weeks, remaining in place until September 16th.
Brian O’Leary of Uisce Éireann said: ‘While it may often feel like Ireland gets plenty of rain, the data shows the past 12 months have been unseasonably warm and dry. Water sources across Cork county have not had their usual seasonal recharge, and we are now heading into the height of summer and tourism season, when we typically see a surge in demand.
‘By way of example, in West Cork we have had to tanker water to reservoirs in the Skibbereen/Leap and Goleen areas due to very low source levels combined with high demand.’
The conservation order prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, for example watering gardens attached to a business premises.
