Ardaíonn Uisce Éireann an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce tar éis titim trom báistí agus aisghabháil foinsí

Tar éis titim trom báistí le déanaí agus an feabhas atá tagtha ar choinníollacha uisce abhann agus talún tá Uisce Éireann tar éis an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce a ardú, nó an cosc píobáin mar is fearr aithne air, a cuireadh i bhfeidhm le héifeacht ón 9 Meitheamh. Eisíodh an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce mar iarracht soláthairtí uisce a chosaint chun críocha riachtanacha, go háirithe uisce atá ag teastáil chun críocha sláintíochta le linn na géarchéime COVID-19.

Níos luaithe an tseachtain seo, chas Uisce Éireann le príomhghrúpaí arís lena n-áirítear Met Éireann chun an réamhaisnéis a phlé agus an OPW agus EPA a dhéanann monatóireacht ar leibhéil lochanna agus aibhneacha chun a gcuid sonraí a athbhreithniú agus a mheas.  

Éilíonn an tAcht um Sheirbhísí Uisce, a cheadaíonn Ordú Caomhnaithe Uisce, ar Uisce Éireann ‘teacht ar an tuairim’ go bhfuil ‘easnamh tromchúiseach uisce ar fáil lena dháileadh nó gur dóigh go mbeidh sé ann.’ Tar éis athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar shonraí Uisce Éireann maraon leis an eolas is déanaí ó Met Éireann, an OPW agus an EPA, tá an fóntas in ann an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce a bhaint ó 5in ar Dé Céadaoin 8 Iúil.

Nuair a eisíodh an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce, bhí 27 de 900 scéim uisce óil de chuid Uisce Éireann i dtromach agus bhí 50 eile i mbaol tromaigh. Ina dhiaidh sin chuaigh cúrsaí chun donais go tapaidh le líon scéim i dtromach nó i mbaol tromaigh ag buaic ag 98.

Ar ámharaí an tsaoil, ó thaobh soláthar uisce de, bhí titim báistí thar an meán le cúpla seachtain anuas i go leor áiteanna sa tír. Mar thoradh air seo rinneadh cuid de na soláthairtí uisce a bhí i dtromach nó i mbaol tromaigh a aisghabháil. Faoi láthair níl ach 17 scéim i dtromach agus tá 61 eile i mbaol. Cé go bhfuil na huimhreacha foriomlána ag laghdú, níl an scéal amhlaidh ar fud na tíre agus tá aisghabháil roinnt foinsí an-leochaileach.

Ag labhairt faoi ardú an tOrdú Caomhnaithe Uisce, dúirt Stiúrthóir Bainistíochta Uisce Éireann Niall Gleeson,

“Tá Uisce Éireann ag leanúint de mhonatóireacht a dhéanamh ar na foinsí uisce atá thíos leis seo mar tá a dtéarnamh leochaileach agus faoi réir athraithe. Leanfaimid orainn ag dul i mbun plé le Met Éireann, an OPW, an EPA agus príomhpháirtithe leasmhara eile chun tionchar na haimsire ar ár bhfoinsí a phlé. Má théimid isteach i dtréimhse fhada d’aimsir the agus tirim agus má théann na foinsí i dtromach arís, d’fhéadfadh go mbeadh orainn athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar Ordú Caomhnaithe Uisce a chur i bhfeidhm arís. Is tosaíocht ríthábhachtach í an soláthar uisce do thithe agus pobail ar fud na tíre a chosaint.

“Tá sé ríthábhachtach go bhforbróidh baill an phobail dea-nósanna tí ag an am seo agus go gcaomhnóidh siad uisce, beag beann ar bháisteach. Ba cheart aon úsáid neamhriachtanach uisce a dhíspreagadh, cíbe má táimid i dtromach nó nach ea.  

“Ba mhaith linn buíochas a ghabháil leis an bpobal as a n-iarrachtaí caomhnaithe ina dtithe agus gairdíní le roinnt seachtainí anuas agus meabhrú dóibh cuimhneamh ar na dea-nósanna tí sin má fhilleann an dea-aimsir. Buíochas freisin lenár n-úsáideoirí móra uisce a d’oibrigh go réamhghníomhach linn chun uisce a úsáid ar bhealach níos éifeachtaí ina ngnólachtaí. Táimid buíoch dá ndúthracht ag an am seo.”

CRÍOCH

The Water Conservation Order was issued in a bid to safeguard water supplies for essential purposes, in particular water needed for sanitation purposes during the COVID-19 crisis.

Earlier this week, Irish Water again met with key groups including Met Éireann to discuss the forecast and the OPW and EPA who monitor the levels of lakes and rivers to review and assess their data.

The Water Services Act, which allows for a Water Conservation Order, requires Irish Water to ‘form the opinion’ that ‘a serious deficiency of water available for distribution exists or is likely to exist’. Following a review of Irish Water data together with the latest information from Met Éireann, the OPW and the EPA, the utility is now in a position to remove the Water Conservation Order from 5pm on Wednesday 8 July.

When the Water Conservation Order was issued, 27 of Irish Water’s 900 drinking water schemes were in drought with another 50 at risk of going into drought. Thereafter the situation deteriorated rapidly with the number of schemes in drought or at risk of drought peaking at 98.

Thankfully from a water supply perspective over the past couple of weeks there has been above average rainfall in many areas of the country. This has resulted in the recovery of some of the water supplies that were in drought or at risk of drought. Currently only 17 schemes remain in drought and a further 61 are at risk. While the overall numbers are trending downwards, the situation is not uniform across the country and the recovery of some sources is very fragile.

Commenting on the lifting of the Water Conservation Order, the Managing Director of Irish Water Niall Gleeson said,

“Irish Water is continuing to monitor the affected water sources as their recovery is fragile and subject to change. We will continue to liaise with Met Eireann, the OPW, the EPA and other key stakeholders to discuss the impact of weather on our sources. Should we enter a spell of prolonged warm and dry weather, and if the sources go into drought again, we may need to reconsider and re-impose a Water Conservation Order. Safeguarding the water supply for homes and communities across the country is a critical priority for us.

“It is really important that members of the public develop good household habits at this time and conserve water, regardless of rainfall. Any non-essential use of water should be discouraged, whether we are in a drought or not.

“We would like to thank the public for their efforts in conserving water in their homes and gardens over the past number of weeks and to remember those good household habits should the good weather return. Thanks also to our large water users who have worked proactively with us to use water more efficiently in their businesses. We are grateful for their diligence at this time.”

ENDS

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