Dublin Records 685 Million Litres Water Use Tuesday; Supply Nears Capacity
Dublin set a record for water consumption on Tuesday, using 685 million litres, pushing its supply near maximum capacity. Uisce Éireann attributes this to high temperatures and rising demand from population growth. Two major infrastructure projects, costing up to €8.2 billion and due by 2032, are planned to address future capacity needs.
Dublin recorded a record-high water consumption of 685 million litres on Tuesday, attributed by Uisce Éireann to high temperatures. This figure highlights that Dublin's water supply is nearing maximum capacity.
Demand in the Dublin region has significantly increased, from an average of 575 million litres daily five years ago, to 615 million litres in 2025, and 640 million litres daily in 2026. Uisce Éireann stated that the Greater Dublin Area's water supply operates at or near full capacity during peak times due to population growth and increased demand.
To address these pressures, Uisce Éireann is investing in infrastructure and network resilience. Future capacity depends on two major projects: the Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) project, now fully approved, and the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region, which will extract water from the Parteen basin and pipe it 170km to Dublin. Both projects are scheduled for completion by 2032.
The GDD project is estimated to cost between €1.9 billion and €2.3 billion, while the water supply project is between €4.6 billion and €5.9 billion. The drainage scheme will serve a large area including parts of Meath, Kildare, and Wicklow, providing capacity for an additional 500,000 population equivalent. Uisce Éireann notes that while leakage rates have decreased from 45% to just under 30%, addressing leakage alone will not resolve Dublin's overall capacity issues.