Hosepipe ban extended to end of September in much of Munster and Leinster

The Irish Times reports that the hosepipe ban in much of Munster and Leinster has been extended until the end of September due to continued pressure on public water supplies. The ban, officially a "water conservation order," now covers 13 counties, including Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Meath, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow.

Residents in these areas are prohibited from using hoses or similar equipment to water gardens, clean cars, or fill pools. Uisce Éireann, the semi-State company responsible for water supply, is urging customers to avoid non-essential water use to conserve available resources and protect supplies for homes, businesses, farms, hospitals, and essential services.

The ban will be lifted for the remaining counties in the country from midnight on Wednesday, following improvements in water availability and increased rainfall. Uisce Éireann's head of water operations, Margaret Attridge, acknowledged the public's support for the water conservation appeal, which has significantly reduced demand in many areas.

However, she noted that supplies in parts of the east and south remain under pressure and will require more time to recover.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Irish Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.