12 areas of Ireland are at risk of drought in the middle of the dangerous conditions currently sweeping over Ireland.
That's according to Irish Water, who have noted that the "vast majority" of their water treatment plants are continuing to meet the demand for water supply.
Since the middle of last week, we've seen temperatures slowly creep up day-by-day, with a high of 32C expected to be hit on Monday afternoon.
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That has led to an increase in water usage around the island, with seaside resorts and agricultural areas seeing sharp rises, Irish Water say.
As of today, 12 areas are most at risk of drought, according to the organisation.
They are:
- Bennettsbridge and Clogh Castlecomer in Kilkenny
- Coalbrook in Tipperary
- Clonaklilty, Roberts Cove, Whitechurch and Coppeen in Cork
- Wexford Town and Bunclody in Wexford
- Inis Oirr in Galway
- Swan in Laois
An Irish Water spokesperson said: "In areas affected Irish Water have implemented a range of measures such as tankering and / or night time restrictions to protect supplies and ensure water keeps flowing to homes and businesses. Irish Water is also closely monitoring a number of other schemes including Letterkenny in Donegal and areas in West Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
"Supplies in the Greater Dublin Area are healthy, but we have seen demand for treated water increase by 4% on average in the last week alone. Irish Water currently have a programme of works ongoing in a number of treatment plants in the region to cater for greater demand in the short to medium term."
The group have also published a list of handy tips and tricks to conserve water during the heatwave.
They include:
- Take a shorter shower
- Fix dripping taps or leaking toilets in your home
- When brushing your teeth or shaving, turn off the tap and save up to 6 litres of water per minute
- Minimise the amount of water used in paddling pools
- If you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose
Tom Cuddy, Irish Water’s Head of Asset Operations, said. “We would like to thank the public for their support in conserving water and ask that they continue to conserve over the summer months. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference – and we can all play our part.
" By reducing the water used for example turning off the hose and avoiding power washing we can all help ensure there is enough water to for everyone as we go through the summer. "
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