Hosepipe bans in three counties extended until October amid 'stark' water supply issues

A hosepipe ban has been extended in counties Meath, Westmeath and Donegal.

The water conservation orders have been in place since July and were due to expire on Monday. They will now last until at least October 13th.

The affected areas are Kells–Oldcastle in Co Meath, Mullingar in Co Westmeath, and Milford in Co Donegal.

Uisce Éireann said that despite recent rainfall, water levels in the supply areas remain critically low.

The utility said the long-term effects of a dry autumn, winter and spring, followed by the warmest summer on record, have left the water sources significantly depleted.

Lakes in the areas are fed by underground springs or have small catchments and can take considerably longer to recharge than other sources, meaning recovery will be slow even with wetter weather conditions.

A water conservation order prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, for example watering gardens attached to a business premises.

Other hosepipe bans currently in place in counties Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Cork will lapse on September 16th and will not be extended.

Mairead Conlon, asset strategy senior manager at Uisce Éireann, thanked the public for making a "huge effort" over the summer to reduce water use.

"But even where hosepipe bans are being lifted, it’s important that people continue to use water wisely," she said.

"The situation remains stark in several parts of the country following the warmest summer on record, and even though we are seeing a return to cooler, wetter weather, it will take several weeks or even months for those sources to recover."