A hosepipe ban will remain in place despite recent heavy rainfall and could extend through July, Irish Water confirmed on Saturday.
While the stormy weather brought downpours, the ground remains parched after many parts of Ireland recorded the driest spring on record.
Irish Water has appealed to the public to renew their efforts to conserve water and save it for handwashing and other essential activities.
A spokeswoman said: “The need for the Water Conservation Order was due to the exceptionally dry spring and the driest May since 1850 in some areas. Unfortunately, short periods of rainfall, such as those we have experienced last week, are not sufficient to return raw water sources to normal levels.”
Irish Water insists that a return to normal rainfall levels is needed to push back the drought currently seen in 38 local water schemes throughout the country – and could even be in place beyond the end of July.
She explained: “A minimum accumulation of 100mm rainfall and a return to normal precipitation levels thereafter would be needed to offset the impact of the unseasonal lack of rainfall since March.
“If the situation improves we will consider lifting the order but if the conditions do not improve, or deteriorate, we will have to consider extending the Water Conservation Order beyond July 21.”
Met Eireann also said yesterday the ground remains dry but that showers this week could bring some much-needed precipitation.
Rainfall last week was patchy, falling heavily in some places while not in others. On Friday, 7.6mm fell in Met Eireann’s Phoenix Park station, while 15.9mm came down in Ballyhaise. None fell at Shannon Airport.
Earlier in the week, the Delphi Lodge in Co Mayo saw 72mm of rainfall in just a few hours.
Deirdre Lowe, forecaster with Met Eireann, told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “It’s taking a while for the heavy rainfall to saturate into the ground.
“But hopefully things will improve in the coming week.”
Last night’s unsettled weather will continue this week with rain expected today, tomorrow and Tuesday.
