Uisce Éireann has warned that more water mains are likely to burst in the coming days – with several major pipes damaged by icy conditions in Cork city today.
Uisce Éireann crews have been out across the county repairing damaged pipes throughout the ongoing cold snap – and the company has advised that ” weather-related bursts on the water network are likely to continue for the coming days as a result of sub-zero temperatures.” Tonight temperatures as low as -8C are expected in Munster.
Uisce Éireann has been repairing mains across the country over the last three days and the number of people in Ireland without access to water has fallen to 4,500 this afternoon – after a peak of 40,000 on Monday morning.
Today the company is responding to bursts on both the north and southsides of Cork city, with areas including Shanakiel Road, Magazine Road, South Douglas Road all affected over the past couple of days. There are at least two bursts in the Blarney area set to be repaired by 5pm – though Uisce Éireann notes that it can take a further three to four hours before supply is fully restored.
Some of the water supply disruptions are related to to power outages, as ESB crews work around the clock to restore electricity to 4,000 homes across the country.
Uisce Éireann’s Head of Water Operations Margaret Attridge is urging people to continue to conserve water and to report any leaks on the public network. She said, “as some counties experience Arctic conditions, which can impact on our pipe infrastructure, letting us know of breaks on the public network allows us to dispatch our expert crews as early as possible, therefore protecting the levels of water in our reservoirs for the whole country.”
She added, “Conserving water at home and at work can help safeguard water supplies for as many people as possible, especially for our vulnerable customers and essential services such as hospitals and nursing homes. We’re asking people to do simple things like being mindful of shower times and turning off the faucet when brushing teeth. We are continuing to ask people to insulate outside taps, exposed pipes and tanks, to check for leaks and to turn off water to exterior pipes or unoccupied premises. We are especially asking people never to leave taps running as this will not necessarily prevent pipes from freezing and can impact on local water supply.”