Low water levels not likely to cause Galway shortage

There is “no immediate likelihood” of a drinking water shortage in Galway City, according to the local authority.

The reassurance comes following a decision by Irish Water to secure an ‘emergency’ supply to be fed into the city water network from the county.

That supply – from the Luimnagh water works near Headford – is still in place.

The water level in Lough Corrib is extremely low at the moment, and this is having a knock-on effect on feeding water into Terryland water works for processing.

Relatively lower than normal levels of rainfall during the summer have caused the problem, with canals around the city having almost dried up, while levels in Lough Corrib are also well down.

A spokesperson for Galway City Council told the Connacht Sentinel: “We are monitoring the situation and are in close contact with Irish Water because water levels are low around the city. There is no immediate likelihood of running out of water.”

It’s understood that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has also been contacted to control sluice gates on the River Corrib to allow levels to rise.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel