Hose pipe ban introduced as Northern Ireland basks in sunshine

By Q Radio news

An official hosepipe ban is now in full legal force as the heatwave continues here.

Northern Ireland Water says reserves are running low and it's already had an impact on supplies to homes and businesses in the likes of Belfast and Armagh.

The following activities are now prohibited:

• Watering a garden using a hosepipe;
• Watering outdoor plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe;
• Drawing water, using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use;
• Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool using a hosepipe;
• Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe;
• Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe;
• Cleaning a private motor vehicle using a hosepipe;
• Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe;
• Cleaning paths or patios of domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe.

(Northern Ireland is in the grip of a heatwave)

Meanwhile, a major gorse fire which broke out on the Glenshane Pass continues to burn.

Dozens of firefighters are trying to prevent it reaching a nearby forest.

NI Water's top ten water saving tips include:

1. Take shorter showers - Why not challenge yourself and your family to shower one minute quicker? In a year you could save up to 10,000 litres of water! Take a shower instead of a bath - One bath can use up to 100 litres of water, whereas an efficient shower uses under 50 litres. But remember power showers can use more water than baths.

2. Car washing - Avoid washing cars and vans during this time.

3. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - A running tap can use 6 litres of water per minute.

4. Lawns are great survivors - a sprinkler can use as much as 1,000 litres of clean drinking water in a single hour; more than a family of four would use in a whole day. Even when they look dry and brown, they’ll spring back with the first heavy rain, so avoid watering them wherever possible. Why not re use that water from the kids’ paddling pool and water the garden with it.

5. Make full use of your washing machine - Half load programmes on washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load, so wait until the machine is full before switching it on.

6. Turn off the tap - Simply turning off the tap while washing your hands or shaving can save over 6 litres of water every minute!

7. Fix leaking taps - A dripping tap can waste more than 60 litres of water per week.

8. Keep a jug of water in the fridge - Planning ahead means there is no need to run the water until it gets cold.

9. Use a bowl for washing vegetables - You can reduce water waste by using a bowl to wash and prepare your vegetables. Then you can use the water to rinse your recycling bin.

10. Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need - This will save water and energy.