RESTRICTIONS TO water supplies to homes and businesses in Dublin and surrounding counties are to continue in some areas until at least next Saturday morning.
The cuts, which began one week ago today, are continuing to affect all areas served by the greater Dublin water reservoirs, including the four Dublin local authorities as well as Wicklow and Kildare.
Dublin City Council plans to continue cuts and pressure reductions for the next two nights and will reassess the situation on Thursday afternoon. It is likely that further restrictions will be necessary in order to restore capacity at the reservoirs.
Of the city’s 19 water systems, each of which serves a number of suburbs, six will be shut down from 7pm to 7am and a further nine will be subject to pressure reductions with a possible loss of water.
Some suburbs will not experience any cuts, including Rathmines, Ranelagh, Rathgar, Templeogue, Milton, Clonskeagh, Ballyfermot and much of the area between Griffith Avenue and Beaumont.
Fingal County Council has scheduled cuts until 7am on Saturday. Tonight Mulhuddart, Blakestown, Blanchardstown and parts of Huntstown will be affected. Tomorrow cuts will affect Sutton, Bayside, Baldoyle, Portmarnock and parts of Malahide.
On Thursday the cuts will move to Balbriggan and Balrothery, while on Friday, Swords, Kinsealy, Cloghran and parts of Malahide will be cut.
South Dublin County Council said all areas should expect loss of water pressure or a loss of supply.
The need for cuts was being determined on a daily basis, however a senior engineer with the council has said cuts are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Wicklow and Kildare are also determining the need for cuts on a daily basis. Westmeath County Council is also implementing cuts.
Restaurants in the affected areas are to seek compensation from local authorities for a “severe loss of business” due to the water restrictions.
The Restaurants Association of Ireland said its members had suffered a 70 per cent loss of business due to water shortages which hit restaurants during their busiest hours of operation.
“Restaurants are struggling at the moment with severe loss of business due to water restrictions and we are asking for a compensation package to be put in place for loss of business,” association chief executive Adrian Cummins said.
Local authorities were “oblivious” to the economic situation faced by restaurants, Mr Cummins said.
“We are seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Environment to intervene on our behalf so that businesses can survive over this busy Christmas period,”
Meanwhile, the city council is warning residents to be alert to bogus callers who may use the current water problems to gain access to houses.
Council workers would always carry and produce identification, it said. The council has also resumed bin collections which were suspended during the snow. Extra materials can be left out on the next scheduled collection date.
