Water supplies in Dublin are on a knife-edge with shortages set to increase due to a combination of population growth and climate change, a leading climatologist has warned. Dr Conor Murphy of Maynooth University said further restrictions were likely due to the ongoing failure to ensure water supplies were climate-resilient. This was especially the case as the highest population density was where surface water was least available – along the water-stressed east coast. It was notoriously costly to get leakage in the system below 20 per cent, although he accepted work was being done in this area by Irish Water. Temporary night-time water restrictions and reduced water pressure was put in place in the capital last summer due to the drought-like conditions, a situation exacerbated by under-investment in infrastructure, according to Irish Water.

Source: The Irish Times July 15, 2019 00:00 UTC