Uisce Éireann urging communities to conserve water and reduce usage
Uisce Éireann is urging communities across County Donegal to make every effort to conserve water and reduce usage.
The appeal comes as the current prolonged spell of dry weather, coupled with increased demand, is putting significant pressure on water supplies in the county.
A Water Conservation Order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, remains in place for Milford Regional Public Water Supply.
While this order only applies to customers supplied by the public water supply in Milford, Kerrykeel, Ramelton and not the rest of the county, supplies in other areas of Donegal are now under pressure. These include Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Carrigart, Downings and surrounding areas.
Speaking about the urgent need to conserve water, Uisce Éireann's Damien O'Sullivan said:
"We are appealing to residents, businesses and the farming community in Donegal to reduce their water usage as this period of dry and warm weather continues.
'We are asking people to be sensible about how they use their water so that we have enough for everyone and that the businesses of Donegal can continue to operate as normal. Uisce Éireann's top priority is to protect our water supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services.
'Since September 2024, rainfall in Donegal has been below average when compared to historical rainfall records.
'There was only 67 per cent (487mm) of rain at the weather station in Malin Head, Donegal between September 2024 and March 2025 compared to historical records for Malin Head (724mm).
'Met Éireann is forecasting a further spell of dry, warm weather. As a result, we are heading into the summer months with lower-than-average water levels.
'In response, we have increased our efforts in leakage detection, pipe repair and overall network management.
'We have also deployed extra resources to finding and fixing critical leaks in the water network across County Donegal.
'However, we are appealing to customers in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Carrigart, Downings and surrounding areas to think about their water usage and make efforts to conserve water. As temperatures rise, so too does our water consumption. To protect supply, we are asking everyone to be mindful of their water use.'
The public is being asked to:
Where householders experience very low flow or pressure, lower than neighbouring properties, they may have a service pipe leak. Uisce Éireann's First-Fix-Free Scheme can help with the location and repair of external leaks. Details at www.water.ie or call 1800 278 278.
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