UISCE Éireann has announced an extension of the Water Conservation Order on the Milford Regional Public Water Supply.

The order will now remain in effect for an additional four weeks, until Monday, October 13.

The order only applies to customers supplied by the public water supply in Milford, Kerrykeel, Ramelton, and not the rest of the county.

While recent weeks have brought some cooler and wetter weather, the water levels at Lough Colmcille, which supplies water to the Milford area, remain under severe pressure.

While Uisce Éireann appreciates the efforts of the local community to conserve supply, water levels continue to be at a historic low at Lough Colmcille.

It is considered that significant levels of rainfall over a prolonged period of time are required for this source to recover.

Uisce Éireann is also appealing to customers across the county to conserve water.

In particular, customers in Letterkenny, Downings, Carrigart, Fanad, Inishowen Peninsula and surrounding areas are being asked to be mindful of their water usage to ensure they continue to receive a normal supply.

Reduced rainfall for more than a year has seen levels at local water sources in these areas drop significantly.

Uisce Éireann’s Water Network Operations Manager for Donegal, Damien O’Sullivan, said their top priority is to protect the water supply for use in homes, businesses and essential services.

“I’d like to thank the communities in Milford, Ramelton and Kerrykeel for adhering to the Water Conservation Order and urge them to continue to adhere to the order,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“The decision to extend this Water Conservation Order follows continued monitoring which shows that water levels in Lough Colmcille remain critically low.

“Despite recent rainfall, the long-term effects of a dry autumn, winter and spring – followed by the warmest summer on record – have left this water source significantly depleted.

“The lake has a small catchment and can take considerably longer to recharge than other sources, meaning recovery will be slow even with wetter weather conditions.”

Throughout the spring and summer, Uisce Éireann’s operational teams across Donegal have worked intensively to maintain supply by repairing leaks and managing pressure in the network.

The Water 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.

This measure is essential to safeguard water supplies for homes, businesses, and essential services.