Uisce Éireann extends hosepipe ban in 13 Irish counties

Uisce Éireann has announced a split approach to the current Water Conservation Order across the Republic of Ireland. The hosepipe ban will be lifted in 13 counties, including Donegal, Sligo, Galway, and Mayo, effective from August 26, due to increased rainfall and improved water availability.

However, the ban has been extended until the end of September in 13 other counties, specifically targeting areas in the east and south where supplies remain under pressure. These counties include Dublin, Cork, Wicklow, Limerick, and Tipperary. The restrictions prohibit using hosepipes or sprinklers for non-essential activities such as watering gardens, cleaning vehicles, or filling paddling pools.

Uisce Éireann credited community conservation efforts for the ability to lift restrictions in several regions but emphasized that water sources in the remaining 13 counties require more time to recover.