Dublin's four local authorities have introduced limited water restrictions due to supply shortages.
The supply problems have been caused by a recent surge in demand from users as well as burst water mains caused by the freezing conditions.
Some people have been leaving taps running in their properties during the cold weather in an attempt to prevent freezing in their pipes.
Dublin City Council said water restrictions will mainly be in the form of a reduction in supply between 7pm and 7am from tonight. The restrictions will also be in place tomorrow and Thursday.
Water restrictions will also be imposed in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin council regions.
Full details of times and the areas affected are available on the websites of the four local authorities.
Householders have been assured that they will not run out of water. Dublin City Council engineer Michael Phillips urged people not to store extra water or run taps and insisted each home had enough water in its tanks to last for 12 to 24 hours. “People will not be without water for longer than that storage period,” he said.
The demand for water had increased in the capital over the last week from 538 megalitres on Sunday, November 28th, to 575 megalitres last Sunday. The city’s water treatment plants can produce around 560 megalitres per day.
Residents in Galway, Cork, Sligo, Tipperary and Donegal have also been affected by water shortages.
Galway City Council staff are continuing to deal with a disrupted water supply, particularly in the Rahoon area of the city.
According to the council, there has been some improvement in water levels in the reservoirs on the west side of the city, but there is still low pressure in a number of areas. Council crews repaired three major leaks yesterday and are dealing with four others in the Shantalla, Taylor’s Hill and Salthill areas today.
