The impact of prolonged dry weather is continuing to be felt across Galway, with water restrictions extended earlier across all of Inís Mór this week.
Uisce Éireann has brought nighttime water restrictions on the largest of the Aran Islands forward to 5pm each day, and the last until 9am each morning.
These extended restrictions now cover the entirety of the island until further notice, after already being put in place for Creig a’Chéirin and Cill Éinne in late July.
The restrictions are essential to protect the island’s daytime supply of treated water. Ongoing high demand on the network due to the high number of visitors to the island, together with low levels of rainfall, has led to the island’s reserves of treated water falling to critically low levels in recent days.
Tony Kelly of Uisce Éireann has appealed to customers on the Aran Islands, including residents, businesses and tourists, to limit their water usage to essential purposes over the coming days.
“Demand remains at an extremely high levels on Inis Mór, due to the high number of visitors currently on the island. Despite some rainfall over the last week, our reserves of treated water have not recovered sufficiently to meet this ongoing high demand,” said Tony.
“As a result, we are taking the step of extending the restrictions which have been in effect since last month, to come into effect at 5pm each evening and remain in place until 9am in the morning, until further notice.
“This is an essential measure to safeguard supplies and protect a continuous daytime supply of treated water for the island.”
Nighttime restrictions also remain in effect on Inis Oírr between 11pm and 6am nightly.
Alternative water supplies in the form of tankers are available for customers at several locations around Inis Mór. Customers are reminded to bring their own containers to draw water from the tankers and to please boil the water before consumption as a precautionary measure, as per HSE advice.
The tankers are located at:
- Eoghanacht (Onaght)
- Cill Mhuirbhigh (Kilmurvy)
- Coláiste Ó Direáin
- Creig a Cheirin
- Sruthan
- Séipéal Eochaill (Eochail Church)
- Cill Éinne (Killeany village)
- Cé an Cill Éinne (Killeany Pier)
- Reilig an Cill Éinne (Killeany Graveyard)
