Water supply warning in Fingal/Garristown

Jip

Spotted this while looking for something else on Fingals website, could be a problem, apparently the Ballycoolin reservoir is also critically low according to the RTE website. Where's all the bloody water from before Christmas gone to

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Water/CustomerServices-WaterDepartment/EmergencyInformationUpdates/

NOTIFICATION OF LOW WATER PRESSURE AND POSSIBLE DISRUPTION TO WATER SUPPLY
Garristown Area
Monday 4th January, 2010
The reservoir serving the Garristown area is currently at an extremely low level as a result of increased demand on the water supply network during the current cold spell of weather.
Fingal County Council is appealing to water consumers not to leave taps running during this current cold spell as there is a strong possibility that the reservoir will run dry and consumers in the area will have no water.
The Council is also appealing to consumers in the farming community not to leave water running continually at water troughs, as this will waste water.
We appreciate your co-operation and patience at this time.
Water is precious. Let's conserve it. - Tá uisce luachmhar. Caomhnaímís é.
Telephone 01-8906210 (Mon – Fri 9am to 5pm)
Emergency Number: 01-8731415
www.taptips.ie Aertel Page 624 www.fingalcoco.ie

January

Thanks, just let my mam know!

Gaspode

Jip wrote: »

Where's all the bloody water from before Christmas gone to

Some people feel its perfectly acceptable to leave taps running overnight in an attempt to prevent them freezing. That wastes a phenomenal amount of water, and indeed some county councils have reportedly turned of the mains supply at night.

And heres me going to have a bath tonight.
It'l be the shower now.

Pineapple stu

Gaspode wrote: »

Some people feel its perfectly acceptable to leave taps running overnight in an attempt to prevent them freezing. That wastes a phenomenal amount of water, and indeed some county councils have reportedly turned of the mains supply at night.

Ive been told that this is the case here in D15 tonight.

ciaran76

Can't believe people actually do that. I feel guilty leaving taps on by accident when brushing my teeth!!!!:o

Must be the old ECO warrior in me !!!

Zwillinge

Bold Rumour!

From RTE:

1:58pm Fingal County Council has said some people are experiencing disruption to their water services, because supply is low, and some pipes leading to houses have frozen.

The council is not cutting off the water supply at 3pm, as rumoured on Twitter.

Pineapple stu

Important Notice
WATER SUPPLY - FINGAL AREA

Friday 8th January, 2010

Fingal County Council’s principal water reservoir at Ballycoolen is at a critically low level due to the increased demand on the water supply network during this extended cold spell of weather.

While the Council will not be switching off the water supply to consumers, we are asking consumers to conserve water as much as possible and not to
leave taps running. We will monitor the reservoir levels over the coming days and if the level remains low we may have to reduce the water pressure to maintain the water supply. We will provide further updates in this regard over the coming days.

Frozen Pipes - If you have no water and you have confirmed with the Council that there is no problem with the mains supply in your area, it is likely that you have frozen pipes on your property or in your home.

If you can identify the pipe that is frozen and it is above ground you can carry out the following to try to thaw it out:

• Use a hair dryer to heat the pipe where you suspect the freeze has occurred. Alternatively, you could wrap a towel around the pipe securing it with duct tape and pour hot water over the towel.

• Once the obstruction is cleared and the water is flowing again, turn off all taps and check for leaks in the area where the obstruction occurred. Any leaks you find should be repaired immediately. If you cannot repair them yourself, call a professional.
Heating Systems – Your central heating system should run independently of your mains water supply so if you have no running water in your home, your heating system should still function properly unless there is a leak in the system. If you are concerned you should contact a qualified plumber to confirm that it is safe to operate your central heating system.

We appreciate your co-operation and patience at this time
Water is precious. Let's conserve it. - Tá uisce luachmhar. Caomhnaímís é

This is in the link in the first post.

amdublin

I have cold water but none from hot taps.

Does that mean my pipes are frozen or the mains are gone???

kazzpop

Amdublin we are in similar position we have hot water upstairs in hot tap but no hot water downstairs in hot tap in kitchen we would like to know the same as you?

amdublin

Hi Kazz

See my posts on this thread, may help you

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055793245

CrazyRabbit

amdublin wrote: »

I have cold water but none from hot taps.

Does that mean my pipes are frozen or the mains are gone???

It means you have frozen pipes inside your house.

The water from the cold tap in your kitchen comes directly from the outside mains supply. All other taps are fed by the water tank in your attic.

CrazyRabbit

Oh, and while I'm here....

Anyone else have no mains water supply in the Delwood area?

I've had no water since last night. Most likely a frozen water mains, but I'm wondering how wide spread it is.

kazzpop

thank Amdublin. will take a look at.
Water pressure in general low, from cold tap. Can we still have central heating on ? (its Oil).
thanks

Enii

Costa Coffee closed at 3pm today.

There was a sign in the window saying they had no water and that the centre had no water.

Darragh

Fingal County Council on twitter - http://twitter.com/Fingalcoco

The Council is NOT cutting off water supply but urges all users to conserve water in coming days as reservoirs are low

http://twitter.com/Fingalcoco/status/7562357101

Phew! I'd be lost without me morning shower

Nevyn

kazzpop wrote: »

thank Amdublin. will take a look at.
Water pressure in general low, from cold tap. Can we still have central heating on ? (its Oil).
thanks

As long as you don't need to add water into the system you should be grand,
so just don't use the hotwater from the system.

I've sorted out a stash of drinking water just in case, even if the water is not being turned off we could still be with out water due to burst/damaged pipes at some stage over the next week, there has already been issues with the drains being blocked with frozen waste.

Pineapple stu

Just gather as much snow as you can and boil it,

Enii

I have no water in my upstairs taps & toilets. Could this be due to reduced pressure or do I have a burst pipe?

Skyhawk1990

Enii wrote: »

I have no water in my upstairs taps & toilets. Could this be due to reduced pressure or do I have a burst pipe?

Happened in my house this morning. Turned out some of the pipes had frozen. Check them to make sure. My Dad bought insulation today and put that on the pipes. The water is still running now, hopefully it'll still be running in the morning!:)

Murt10

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Oh, and while I'm here....

Anyone else have no mains water supply in the Delwood area ?

I've had no water since last night. Most likely a frozen water mains, but I'm wondering how wide spread it is.

Depends on weather you have a kitchen extension or not. The houses I'm aware of with water problems in Delwood have extensions, those that don't have extensions, don't have water problems.


Murt

Matamoros

I have that extension type kitchen and the water stopped coming to my kitchen tap yesterday, no pipes seem to have burst, now we have run out of water altogether after housemate had a shower, I clearly have no idea how the domestic water system works, I have tried to warm the pipes just below the kitchen sink to see if I could unfreeze them but I think that not where the problem lies.

Can anyone explain how the water system works?

CrazyRabbit

Matamoros wrote: »

I have that extension type kitchen and the water stopped coming to my kitchen tap yesterday, no pipes seem to have burst, now we have run out of water altogether after housemate had a shower, I clearly have no idea how the domestic water system works, I have tried to warm the pipes just below the kitchen sink to see if I could unfreeze them but I think that not where the problem lies.

Can anyone explain how the water system works?

Street mains---->cold water tap in kitchen & to storage tank in attic.
Storage tank in attic---->all other taps, electric shower & immersion heater if you have one.

lushballs

cymro wrote: »

Just gather as much snow as you can and boil it,

Don't drink yellow snow ))

Matamoros

So if the storage tank is not being refilled then there is a problem with the main water supply?

amdublin

Matamoros wrote: »

So if the storage tank is not being refilled then there is a problem with the main water supply?

Maybe.

But more likely to indicate frozen ice in the tank affecting the stop/ball cock.

Matamoros

So, am I right to try leaving the attic door open for a while and I have a hairdryer on the stopcock area under the kitchen tap??

Gaspode

Matamoros have you looked in your attic to see is there ice in your tank?

Matamoros

No ice in the tank at all, pipes well enough insulated, can't see any sign of cracking in the little bit of attic piping that was exposed, after reading the threads about this issue, I am trying the open attic door method to see if that helps. And thanks to all who have helped with tips etc.

Matamoros

After about an hour of leaving the attic door open, the water has begun to flow again to both the downstairs tap and the attic tank, it might be a coincidence, maybe the general thaw has refilled the Ballycoolin reservoir bringing up the water pressure to my house. happy days.

Gaspode

Who's have thought we'd all be delighted to see rain in January!