Water supplies in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Carrigart, Downings and surrounding areas are under pressure due to high demand.

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

Uisce Éireann is urging communities across County Donegal to make every effort to conserve water and reduce usage.

The appeal comes as the current prolonged spell of dry weather, coupled with increased demand, is putting significant pressure on water supplies in the county.

A Water Conservation Order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, remains in place for Milford Regional Public Water Supply. While this order only applies to customers supplied by the public water supply in Milford, Kerrykeel, Ramelton, and not the rest of the county, supplies in other areas of Donegal are now under pressure. These include Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Carrigart, Downings and surrounding areas.

Speaking about the urgent need to conserve water, Uisce Éireann's Damien O’Sullivan said: "We are appealing to residents, businesses and the farming community in Donegal to reduce their water usage as this period of dry and warm weather continues. We are asking people to be sensible about how they use their water so that we have enough for everyone and that the businesses of Donegal can continue to operate as normal. Uisce Éireann's top priority is to protect our water supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services.

“Since September 2024, rainfall in Donegal has been below average when compared to historical rainfall records. There was only 67% (487mm) of rain at the weather station in Malin Head, Donegal between September 2024 and March 2025 compared to historical records for Malin Head (724mm). Met Éireann is forecasting a further spell of dry, warm weather. As a result, we are heading into the summer months with lower-than-average water levels. In response, we have increased our efforts in leakage detection, pipe repair, and overall network management. We have also deployed extra resources to finding and fixing critical leaks in the water network across County Donegal. However, we are appealing to customers in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Ballybofey, Stranorlar, Carrigart, Downings and surrounding areas to think about their water usage and make efforts to conserve water. As temperatures rise, so too does our water consumption. To protect supply, we are asking everyone to be mindful of their water use.”

The public is being asked to:

• Avoid power washing and keep the garden hose in the shed
• Take shorter showers and refrain from baths unless absolutely necessary
• Check for leaks on outdoor taps or troughs as these can lead to large losses of treated water
• Remember that paddling pools and swimming pools can use huge volumes of water so please refrain from using at this time and if already filled consider reusing the water for the garden or cleaning the car
• Report any visible leaks on the public network to Uisce Éireann at water.ie or call 1800 278 278.

Where householders experience very low flow or pressure, lower than neighbouring properties, they may have a service pipe leak. Uisce Éireann's First-Fix-Free Scheme can help with the location and repair of external leaks. Details at www.water.ie or call 1800 278 278.

Damien continued: "It's important that we all consider our water usage and look at simple yet impactful ways to conserve water. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a significant difference - and we can all play our part. To help people do this Uisce Éireann has developed an easy-to-use conservation calculator so that you can work out how much water you are currently saving and how you can conserve even more. The free Water Conservation Calculator is available on the Uisce Éireann website, www.water.ie, where you can also find lots of useful water saving tips."

The Uisce Éireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries.