This week Uisce Éireann launched a water conservation appeal ahead of the forecast hot spell. They are asking people to leave the hosepipe in the shed and turn off those taps. With Met Éireann forecasting temperatures of up to 28C from tomorrow onwards and continued warm, dry conditions next week, the challenge of keeping supplies flowing is growing.
Water supplies in several parts of the country that have been struggling since May remain in drought, and supplies in many other areas are under increasing strain. Concerns are highest around supplies in counties Dublin, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, Galway, Donegal, Meath, Westmeath, Clare and Wexford.
The Water Forum has called for the development of a government-led National Strategy for Water Conservation. A Water Conservation Working Group has recently been set up by the Department to advise the Minister on a future strategy for water conservation and prioritisation of resources during periods of water stress.
Cost-benefit analysis research commissioned by the Water Forum shows that fitting water saving devices (e.g. efficient taps, showers and toilets) in the 300,000 new houses committed to be built over the next five years has the potential to save both money as well as water resources.
The researchers used a baseline of water use of 110 Litres per Person per Day (LPD) to represent an new-build, 4-person family home. For the cost-benefit-analysis, the researchers used a combined cost to the state of €4.40 per m3 (1000 litres) for water and wastewater services, (which equates to €2.19 per m3 for drinking water and €2.21 per m3 for wastewater) based on Uisce Éireann data,
Ireland’s population has increased 30% in the past twenty years and is projected to continue to increase. It takes time to build the water and wastewater infrastructure to meet these additional needs and to catch up with this increased demand. Security of water supply is critical not only for human health but also to meet economic priorities. Therefore, a proactive approach to encourage to use water efficient fittings in all new builds is a straightforward first step to reduce demand and relieve pressure on supplies.
The Water Forum have produced an infographic to show how to conserve water and the benefits of using rainwater in your garden.
