Locals in Tipperary say they won't snitch on neighbours using Uisce Éireann's new hotline
Uisce Éireann recently introduced a hotline for neigbours to report each other for breaking the hosepipe ban, which came in force this week
With the introduction this week of the hosepipe ban in six counties in Ireland, including South Tipperary, we asked locals living in South Tipp if they would use the new ‘hotline’ to snitch on their neighbour.
A six-week Water Conservation Order came into force on July 16, covering Dublin, South Tipperary and parts of Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Wexford, as water supplies continue to come under pressure during the recent hot weather.
The introduction of a public reporting hotline has sparked debate after Uisce Éireann defended its decision to allow members of the public to report suspected breaches of the restrictions. The utility says the hotline is intended to prevent neighbours from confronting one another rather than encourage people to "snitch".
Walking through the streets of Cahir, we found locals asked would not want to report those ignoring the ban. One local farmer said the restrictions should have been introduced much earlier.
"I would report a neighbour if Uisce Éireann did their business correctly, but because their company does not function properly, I wouldn't report a neighbour, no," he said.
A couple living on the Ardfinnan Water Supply, were also asked to comment. With water outages, low pressure and boil water notices affecting parts of the area in recent years, They believe that Uisce Éireann needs to address those issues before asking the public to report one another.
"We definitely wouldn't tell on our neighbours if they were washing their car with a hose," they said.
"If Uisce Éireann were properly fixing leaks and other issues, we probably wouldn't have to have the ban, so it's their fault, I think." Under the Water Conservation Order, the use of hosepipes for activities such as watering gardens, washing private vehicles and filling paddling pools is prohibited.
People who repeatedly breach the restrictions could face fines ranging from €125 to €5,000 if prosecuted through the courts.
Speaking about the reporting hotline, Uisce Éireann's Head of Water Operations, Margaret Attridge, said the utility is "not asking people to confront people" and that it does not want to create "neighbourhood disputes."