Ireland’s ‘heat wave’ and droughts to become the norm

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Although it has been raining in Ireland over the last two days water rationing is set to increase as reservoirs drop up to 40 percent compared to last summer. As the ‘heat wave’ of temperatures up to 68°F continues Ireland is told that water shortages during the summer will become the norm.

Over 30 millimeters of rain are expected to fall over the coming days but Count Councils say that this is too little too late as the countries water supplies are running out.

A leading climatologist from the Geography Department of National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Dr John Sweeney said that along with the low rainfall in the first six months of the year the reservoirs supplies were also affected by the freezing winter snap.
Dr Sweeney warned that Ireland will have to get used to droughts during the summer months.

He said “This is a problem that is going to become more common in years to come. We cannot label one dry summer as climate change. But it is the kind of drier summer we can expect in years to come.” He also asked that this be taken into account when Councils calculate their projections for water use.

In County Sligo the Council is providing tankers of water to the community having turned off domestic supplies in the north county to conserve what little water remains.

Clare, Donegal, Galway and Leitrim are being similarly affected.

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