Winter Water Appeal

DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL
NOTICE REGARDING WATER SUPPLIES DURING SEVERE WEATHER PERIODS


With the experience of the severe weather of recent years still fresh in all our minds, the Council wishes to highlight the following areas where we can improve community resilience.

Severe weather with heavy frost or snow can lead to increased demand for water supplies throughout the Country.


The primary causes for this increase includes:

  • taps left running

  • leakage in private properties 

  • burst mains which have not yet been located

The Water Service in Donegal has relied on the public to help eliminate the associated wastage of water and with that the disruption to the public at large. In advance of the winter period this year we are seeking to engage with the public and help improve on our collective preparedness.

To avoid the widespread disruption, which occurred last winter, we wish to highlight the following areas in particular where the public can prepare for the winter weather and help eliminate wastage of the public water supply:

Get to know your internal water supply – All households and businesses should locate and mark where your stop-valve is located.

In particular the following areas should be considered at this time: 

  • All Schools
  • Factories 
  • Business premises 
  • Commercial premises

Running taps - Please avoid leaving taps running. This is counter productive and will run down available water in storage

 
Burst mains / leakage - Any suspected leaks on watermains or wastage should be reported to the County Council at your local public services centre.

 
Vacant properties - Where the property is not in use over the winter months, the water supply to vacant buildings should be turned off and the system drained of all water.
In general during periods of severe weather where leakage is identified on the consumer’s side of the stop-valve the Council will disconnect that service in the interest of protecting the property and to conserve water.

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Farming Community - Check all field connections and turn off leaking drinking troughs.
Check for burst pipes in farm buildings and burst hoses lying over ground. Essentially anywhere on the farm that water may be lost.

 
Caravan Parks - Caravan park owners should turn off the water supply to areas not in use during the winter and help eliminate wastage and avoid damage to property.
Once again the co-operation of every community is required if we are to avert widespread shortages in water supplies.

Frozen Lakes - The public are asked not to enter onto the surface of frozen lakes. This practice is unsafe and is particularly dangerous where water supplies continue to be drawn from below the ice.