Nighttime water restrictions in east Donegal due to ‘critically low’ reservoir levels 

Parts of east Donegal are to be impacted by nighttime water restrictions due to "critically low water levels" across the Lough Mourne public water supply scheme.

Uisce Éireann says it is imposing nighttime water restrictions in order to maintain a daytime supply for customers.

The restrictions will be in place each night from 10pm to 8am the following morning to allow the local reservoir levels recharge. 

Customers supplied by the Main Reservoir in Lough Mourne and Corradooey Reservoir in the Twin Towns, Crossroads, Convoy, Lifford, Rossgier areas may experience low pressure or supply disruptions during these times. These restrictions will remain in place until reservoir levels replenish.

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Uisce Éireann  said that while crews work to ensure supply for customers during the daytime, customers are being urged to conserve water where possible and to report any leaks. 

A combination of increased demand and several bursts across the network has resulted in reservoir levels depleting significantly. 

Uisce Éireann’s Damien O’Sullivan said: “We regret any inconvenience as a result of these overnight restrictions. We are appealing to all customers in the impacted areas to conserve water during this time, as the reservoirs replenish. This will help prevent additional strain on the local supply.”

“We have deployed additional resources to try to identify the sources of the demand and repair any leaks across the supply zone. While our frontline crews are working to manage water supply across the area and repair any leaks on the network, we need the help of our customers to conserve water while water levels remain critically low. 

“Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all homes and businesses. We would also urge members of the public to continue to report any leaks or bursts on the public water network to our Customer Care Team on 1800 278 278, which is open 24/7.

“It’s important that we all consider our water usage and look at simple yet impactful ways to conserve water. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference.”

For more simple ways to conserve water,the Uisce Éireann conservation calculator can help people work out how much water they are currently using and how they can conserve even more. 

Water Saving Tips

At home you can save water by taking shorter showers and by fixing any dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home. 

When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap to save up to six litres of water per minute. 

Any external leaks should be reported to Uisce Éireann on 1800 278 278, as no leak fixes itself and every leak gets progressively worse. 

Escaping water can weaken the ground or cause slippery footpaths and roads, reduce supply pressure for neighbouring properties, and what may appear to be a small surface leak can use the equivalent of water supplied to 20–30 households.

On the farm, water can be saved on the farm by fixing drinking troughs and watching out for overflows, as faulty or poorly adjusted ball valves can waste significant amounts of water; lowering the float or replacing damaged parts can prevent this. 

When cleaning yards, dry-cleaning techniques should be used where possible by scraping and brushing away solid waste from yards and pens before hosing, and by using only small amounts of water, such as a single bucket, to pre-soak waste if needed. 

On dairy farms, clean plate cooler water can be diverted to a tank and reused for parlour washing. Farmers can also consider rainwater harvesting, using rainfall collected from the roofs of farm buildings for activities such as washing down yards, while carefully assessing the required water quality, potential contamination risks, and the need for appropriate filtration, UV treatment and storage systems before installation.