Counties Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary and Cork, excluding Cork city, face formal Water Conservation Orders until September 16.
There has been a sharp increase in demand for water since the start of the summer. Stock image
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – July 24th
The move comes as the number of water supplies in drought nationally rises to almost 50.
Parts of three other counties – Donegal, Meath and Westmeath – have been under bans since May, with no sign of them being lifted.
Uisce Éireann said while the formal orders were in place only in certain counties and areas, it was appealing to all water users to conserve supplies.
It will take an extended period of rainfall for all sources to recover
Despite heavy rain in recent days and a reasonably damp June, the utility company said it was not enough to make a sufficient difference to overall water levels.
“Overall rainfall levels over the past 12 months have been well below average, so it will take an extended period of rainfall for all sources to recover,” it said.
“Combined with ongoing increases in demand in the areas covered by the order this means that sources in these areas remain under pressure.”
The four counties added to the ban have seen what Uisce Éireann described as a “sharp increase in demand” for water since the start of the summer, with warm weather and increased tourist numbers straining supplies.
“This has put increased pressure on rivers and other water sources supplying these areas, many of which are at historically low levels,” it said.
“In recent weeks, Uisce Éireann has been putting in place a number of measures to maintain and protect these supplies, including enhanced leakage repair works, tankering to reservoirs, pressure management and public water conservation campaigns in an effort to reduce demand to sustainable levels.”
After all that, it was still necessary to issue the formal order, which makes it an offence to waste water through use of hosepipes for non-essential activities such as watering gardens, washing cars or property and filling pools.
We are reminding all customers to be mindful
The hosepipe bans issued in May were the earliest ever in Ireland and extending them to seven counties makes them among the most extensive, although not so severe as in 2018 when 16 counties were affected.
Uisce Éireann is hoping to avoid a repeat.
“We are reminding all customers to be mindful of their use of water so that supplies can be protected,” it said.