Due to a serious production problem at Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, Dublin City Council, on behalf of the four Dublin Local Authorities, is urging consumers all over the Dublin region to conserve water, in an effort to restore levels in our treated water reservoirs to normal. Nightly restrictions, which are likely to lead to a loss of supply, will be put in place from today, Wednesday 30th October from 8.00pm each evening to 7am the following morning. It is likely that restrictions will remain in place until at least next Monday 4th November, and will be reviewed on a daily basis. This will assist us in replenishing treated drinking water levels to a normal level.

The reason for the restrictions is due to a serious production problem at the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, which has caused a significant reduction in water production since last weekend. Prior to this, Dublin City Council had introduced reductions in water pressure during the night in an effort to replenish storage levels, but this did not achieve the desired effect. We are working assiduously to identify the cause of the problem and to mitigate the effects, but it may take some time to completely resolve the issue. It should be stressed that there is no problem with the quality of treated drinking water or with storage levels of untreated/raw water.

In an effort to maintain storage of treated water at a sustainable level, we are asking consumers to help us in restoring adequate water supplies by restricting their use of water as much as possible. We are asking people to visit www.taptips.ie<http://www.taptips.ie/ for easy water saving tips. We will be shutting off supply each night this week in order to conserve supplies. While we will make every effort possible to maintain pressures during peak demand periods, pressures will be reduced during the times indicated above. This will result in lower pressures and loss of supply across the entire Dublin region.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused by these restrictions. We are asking consumers to bear with us while every effort is being made to restore the water supply to normal.

Press Releases will issue each morning during the period of restrictions providing a daily update of the situation.

Water is precious. Let’s conserve it.

For further information contact:

Dublin City Council Media Relations Office T. (01) 222 2170; M. 087 740 0277.