RTE News has this week broadcast a series of reports on the water supply issues in the Greater Dublin Area. George Lee on the evening News bulletins and on the RTE website highlighted recent Uisce Éireann calls for people to reduce water use in January owing to the increase in demand for water.
Increasing population and economic activity, a historical lack of investment in water infrastructure and the continued over-reliance on a single source of supply are all putting drinking water supply at risk. The River Liffey supplies 85% of the Dublin areas water, equating to 40% of its flow.
Rainwater is not drinking water. Drinking water has to be treated and piped and Uisce Éireann state that current infrastructure has the capacity to deliver 600 million litres per day sustainably. Uisce Éireann state that consistently over the past months demand for water in the GDA has increased beyond sustainable supply levels, by the equivalent of 120,000 households. This puts the system under considerable pressure, resulting in the calls for people to conserve water in January. This situation is likely to get worse as the weather becomes drier in the summer months.
The Water Forum has asked for a Government-led strategy for water conservation at meetings with the Minister and in submissions to the Department on a number of occasions in the past year. In the recently published Water Services Policy Statement, the Government has committed to establish a working group on water conservation. While the Forum welcomes this as a positive move, it will need to happen as soon as possible for water efficiency fittings to be put in place (particularly in planned new builds) to mitigate further pressure increases on the supply in the GDA.
Public urged to conserve water amid high Dublin demand (rte.ie)
Water Forum Policy Brief on water conservation
Infographic on how to safe water
gov – Water Services Policy Statement 2024 – 2030 (www.gov.ie)
