Essential overnight restrictions are required at the Abbeystrowry Reservoir, Skibbereen to maintain daytime supply

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann wish to advise customers supplied by the Abbeystrowry Reservoir that essential overnight restrictions are necessary and will in place tonight from 10pm to 7am each day until Saturday 09 August to ensure water supply to industries, residences and commercial premises are in place during business hours.  

The restrictions are necessary due to the increased summer demand on the present supply.  

Catchment regions where restrictions will be in place include – 

• Lisheens
• Baltimore
• Sherkin Island
• Ballydehob
• Schull
• Heir Island

Uisce Éireann are asking customers in the area to conserve water, where possible. Simple water conservation actions can have a significant impact on driving down demand on the supply. We are asking customers to conserve water by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and shaving, which can save up to six litres of water per minute. Keeping a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the cold tap can save 10 litres of water per day. In the garden, we’re asking people to recycle water, such as water used in food preparation or washing up, for watering flowers and lawns. For more tips on how to reduce your water usage visit our Water Conservation page. At present, a Water Conservation Order remains in place in Cork County (excluding Cork city) until Tuesday, 16 September 2025.  

Michael Bell, Water Network Operations Manager, Usce Éireann said: “These restrictions are required in order to address high water usage and to allow the supply breathing space to replenish. We are consistently monitoring the supply, and we do understand the inconvenience that the restrictions may cause, and we would like to apologies to customers and thank them for their patience.”  

There may be discoloration to the water supply each morning due to these restrictions. In the event of discolouration, running the cold kitchen tap for several minutes - we recommend up to 20 minutes - will usually restore the water to a clear colour. The water is safe to drink once running clear. If the issue remains unresolved, we encourage customers to contact us directly on 1800 278 278   Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours.   Uisce Éireann continues to provide detailed, real-time, and local information about water service and supply issues on www.water.ie    
 
Updates are available on our Water Supply Updates section on  water.ie, on X (formerly Twitter) @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.  Uisce Éireann has also launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at our text alerts page.