General Information
Downloads
Water Supply Update - week beginning 20th May 2013
There has been a significant improvement in the water supply situation since the imposition of night time pressure reductions began on Thursday 28th March 2013. Water supply has generally returned to normal since Friday 5th April, albeit with reduced pressures. This reduced pressure regime will continue until water production is restored at the Roundwood Water Treatment plant.
Dublin City Council wishes to apologise to our customers for the water restrictions we have had to put in place. Due to the cooperation of all water users, we have managed to save a significant amount of water. Our regional strategic storage, which was at an extreme and unsustainable low level last Thursday, is at a less critical level. However, we will have to continue with reduced pressures until full production is restored at Roundwood Water Treatment plant.
Water demand is currently running higher than average due to the cold weather, which has caused an increase in leakage particularly on our old Victorian distribution system. Our crews are working flat out repairing any breaks as they arise. To help us in this regard we would ask people to report any location where they see water rising or running.
The single major issue still affecting us is the severe disruption to water production at our Roundwood Treatment Plant. This normally produces 66 million litres a day ( out of a maximum of 560 million litres for the entire Dublin Region) but is now down to an average of 40 million litres a day, a shortfall of 26 million litres. There is no problem with storage levels of untreated/raw water and there is no problem with water quality of treated water. The region does not currently have a normal strategic reserve of 10-15% to meet such problems and has at best a limited 1% reserve, which will improve in future with new investment and conservation measures in the planning and construction stage.
In an effort to maintain storage we are asking consumers to assist us in maintaining adequate water supplies by restricting their use of water as much as possible. If all of our customers could reduce their consumption by 5%, and maintain this reduction, restrictions could cease almost immediately.
Customers should have water supply at their cold taps. They may not always have sufficient pressure at night to fill their storage tanks, but as these will fill during the day, most customers will be unaffected by the pressure reduction. Customers should be aware that unlike some other utilities like ESB, water distribution systems cannot be operated and managed to the point where the exact locations and precise times at which the effects of pressure alterations (both increase and decreases) will be experienced, however we do make every effort to ensure that the times and areas affected are limited.
Dublin City Council regrets any inconvenience caused by these restrictions and will do everything possible to minimise their scale and duration.
Being prepared for cold weather can save needless stress and cost. Find out how to prepare for bad weather. For advice on how to conserve water visit www.taptips.ie
General Information
Drinking water is a scarce commodity essential to the City and the health of its citizens. Every day 540 million litres of high quality drinking water is produced and supplied to 1.5 million customers in the Dublin Region.
Dublin City Council's Water Services Division is responsible for supplying 70% of this water and the balance is being provided by Fingal County Council.
Water is collected from the Dublin and Wicklow mountains for treatment at the City Council's three water treatment plants at Ballymore Eustace, Roundwood and Ballyboden and at the Fingal County Council plant at Leixlip.
It is then distributed to customers in Dublin City and in the South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Fingal, Kildare and Wicklow County Council areas through a network of service reservoirs and over 7,000 km of pipes of which 2,400 km are the responsibility of Dublin City Council.
On occasion it may be necessary to carry out water quality monitoring or repair and maintenance work at your property. This may require our employees to gain access to your property. Unfortunately bogus callers can sometimes call to your property claiming to be from Dublin City Council’s Water Services. Find out how to identify bogus callers
Water is a precious resource and should be used sparingly. Information about saving water can be found online at www.taptips.ie
Downloads
The following are now available to download in relation to information on the treatment and supply of water to the Dublin Region: