BREAKING: Eight week hosepipe ban to come into effect across Tipperary from later this week

Uisce Éireann has confirmed that a Water Conservation Order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, will be in place for all of County Tipperary from Saturday, 26 July 2025 until 16 September 2025. 

The Water Conservation Order has been issued in a bid to safeguard Tipperary’s water supply for essential purposes. Advertisements will appear in national papers on the 24 July 2025, in line with statutory requirements outlining the prohibition of the use of garden hoses and other non-essential uses of water.

The implementation of this Order follows a long period of dry weather combined with high demand, which collectively are causing raw water sources throughout Tipperary to come under severe stress.

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The data tells us that rainfall in Tipperary in May, June, and July this year to date has been significantly below average when compared to historical rainfall records. There was 194.6mm of rainfall measured in Gurteen weather station during this period compared to the long-term average (LTA) of 208.5mm for the same period. That’s almost 7% less rainfall recorded locally. 

This lack of rainfall means that we are now heading into what are traditionally the warmest, driest months of the year, at a time when demand usually increases.   

It is essential that a Water Conservation Order is introduced now in Tipperary to reduce the potential of restrictions and outages over the coming weeks and months. 

Fionnuala Callery, Regional Technical Operations Manager for Water at Uisce Éireann, said: "Uisce Éireann's top priority is to protect the water supplies across Tipperary for use in homes, businesses and essential services. While it may often feel like Ireland gets plenty of rain, the data shows the past 12 months have been unseasonably warm and dry. As a result, water sources across Tipperary have not had their usual seasonal recharge, and we are now heading into the height of summer with lower-than-average water levels. 

“In response, we have increased our efforts in leakage detection, pipe repair, and overall network management. As demand continues to outstrip supply in some areas, we have taken the extra step of implementing a Water Conservation Order to safeguard the local water supply.

"It is very clear from Uisce Éireann's data that warm weather creates a surge in demand for water. Such weather makes the use of hoses more likely for gardening, leisure and other purposes. However, using a hosepipe for one hour is the equivalent of the daily water usage of an average family and this is generally a non-essential use of water.

"The introduction of this Order follows a series of measures that Uisce Éireann has put in place to safeguard supplies in recent months, including doubling down on our efforts to find and fix critical leaks in the water network and a public information campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of water conservation year-round. 

“We will continue to analyse water consumption levels while the Water Conservation Order is in place. It is essential that our water supply is protected if we are to reduce the potential of restrictions and outages over the coming weeks and months.

"During this time, we are supporting and advising our commercial water users on water conservation and encouraging them to continue their efforts to avoid unnecessary use.  

"There are lots of helpful tips for conserving water on our website, but the key messages are to leave the hose and the pressure washer in the shed; reuse household water for the garden; and take shorter showers. We are calling on everyone to play their part so we can maintain supply over the summer months," Fionnuala added.

The Conservation Order prohibits the use of garden hosepipes and other non-essential uses of water by domestic users and commercial premises for non-commercial activities, for example watering gardens attached to a business premises.

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