• Customers advised to conserve water as Uisce Éireann imposes overnight supply restrictions

Uisce Éireann has announced that overnight water restrictions will be in place for Skibbereen and surrounding areas in County Cork, beginning at 7pm on Thursday, 13 March, and continuing until 9am on Friday, 14 March. The restrictions are necessary to allow local reservoirs to recover and ensure a stable water supply for homes, businesses, schools, and industries during the day.

The decision follows an issue at the Ballyhilty Water Treatment Plant, where ammonia was detected in the River Illen. As a precautionary measure, the plant was temporarily shut down to prevent any risk to drinking water quality. While the facility is now fully operational and compliant with safety standards, reservoir levels remain critically low, prompting the need for supply restrictions.

The affected areas include Skibbereen, Baltimore, Lisheen, Church Cross, Ballydehob, and areas east of Schull. Customers in these locations may experience low water pressure or temporary outages, particularly those living on higher ground or at the extremities of the network, as the supply gradually refills.

Call for Water Conservation

Uisce Éireann is urging residents and businesses to conserve water where possible. Small changes in daily habits can make a significant impact in reducing demand. Suggested measures include:

• Turning off the tap while brushing teeth or shaving (saving up to six litres per minute).
• Keeping a jug of cold water in the fridge instead of running the tap (saving up to 10 litres per day).
• Reusing water from food preparation or washing up to water plants and gardens.

For further water-saving tips, customers can visit www.water.ie/conservation.

Official Statement

Niall O’Riordan, Operations Manager, Uisce Éireann, emphasised the importance of these measures:

“We have been monitoring reservoir capacity in the region and by applying the overnight restriction, it will allow the critically low reservoirs the breathing space to fully replenish. We understand the inconvenience that restrictions may cause, and we would like to apologise to our customers and thank them for their patience.”

Customer Support and Updates

Customers seeking further information or assistance can contact Uisce Éireann’s 24/7 customer care helpline on 1800 278 278 or reach out via Twitter @IWCare. Regular updates will also be available in the water supply and services section of the Uisce Éireann website.