Six-week hosepipe ban in effect in three areas
A hosepipe ban is in effect for three areas for the next six weeks due to historically low water levels.
The areas are Mullingar in Co Westmeath, Milford in Co Donegal, and Kells-Oldcastle in Co Meath.
The Water Conservation Order is to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes due to a sharp drop in water levels in the local lakes supplying these areas.
This follows significantly below average rainfall over the last seven months.
Met Éireann figures show cumulative rainfall since the start of October last year, in all three regions, is running 28% below normal.
This is equivalent to only five months of normal rainfall during a seven-month period and is the main reason water supplies are so low.
Uisce Éireann says Lough Owel, which supplies the Mullingar Public Water Supply, is currently at its lowest level in 50 years.
Similarly Lough Colmcille, which supplies Milford in Donegal, and Lough Bane, which supplies Kells-Oldcastle in Co Meath, are also at historically low levels.
The hosepipe ban will be in place until 11.59pm on Monday 16 June.
The Water Conservation Order for the three areas prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities.
This includes watering gardens attached to a business premises.
The prohibited water uses during the hosepipe ban include the use of water drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus for the purpose of:
Watering a garden
cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a domestic hosepipe
cleaning a private leisure boat
filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool (except when using hand-held containers filled directly from a tap)
filling or maintaining a domestic pond (excluding fish ponds)
filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain (with the exception of such use for commercial purposes)
filling or replenishing an artificial pond, lake or similar application.
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