Hose Pipe Ban In Force

Due to the current hot spell where temperatures are rising to in excess of 30 degrees C, NI Water have announced that from 6pm tonight a hosepipe ban will take full legal force across the province and the public are being asked to limit the use of tap water to the essentials, like drinking, cooking and washing.

Activities Prohibited

Watering a garden using a hosepipe

Watering outdoor plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe

Drawing water, using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use

Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool using a hosepipe

Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe

Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe

Cleaning a private motor vehicle using a hosepipe

Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe

Cleaning paths or patios of domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe

NI Water strongly advise the public to adhere to this advice as ignoring it will only cause further strain on resources and could lead to interruptions to supply.

The company’s CEO Sara Venning said, “We have maximised our water production and need customers’ help to reduce demand.  We are asking customers to take heed of the hose pipe ban and stop non-essential water use - using hoses and sprinklers is causing demand to exceed the capacity to supply.

“I would like to pay tribute to our staff who have been working over recent days and through the night to ensure water treatment works are running at full capacity.  In addition, tankers have been deployed to assist with topping up service reservoirs. However, we also need the help of the public and businesses to reduce the level of demand. In recent days our treatment works have been operating at near maximum levels with over 700 million litres of water being put into the network which is some 25% more than normal for this time of the year. Despite these steps, demand continues to outstrip supply.

“The hose pipe ban is in place to protect the public against the increased threat of supply interruptions. During this time, it is essential that we all work together to reduce the unprecedented levels of demand on our network.”

Customers in some areas, including parts of Belfast and Armagh, as well as other rural high lying areas, have already experienced loss of pressure and intermittent supply failures.

Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne commented,"Rural areas can be particularly affected where farms need more water for animal welfare. NI Water are currently slow at responding to and fixing burst pipes such is the demand at present. With this unprecedented long spell of hot weather set to continue, I would call on everyone to do their bit to conserve water."

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