Night-time water restrictions on the Aran island of Inis Oírr have finally been lifted after six months of rationed supplies.
Irish Water said the restrictions from 11 pm to 7 am initiated last May have been eased as of this weekend.
Water had been tankered out to the southernmost island by sea from Ros-a-Mhíl for the past three of those six months.
However, reserves on Inis Oírr have now recovered sufficiently to ensure a continuous water supply into the autumn, Irish Water spokesman Tim O’Connor said.
He said Irish Water and Galway County Council “will continue to monitor and maintain the supply” for customers on lnis Oírr.
“We would like to thank residents, businesses and visitors to the Island for their conservation efforts during the restrictions and we would also like to remind customers that it is important to continue to follow the HSE guidance on handwashing,” O’Connor said.
With a population of just under 300, Inis Oírr has endured periodic water shortages over the past decade.
The community has had to receive shipments of water during many summer periods, but the extent of the shortage at an early stage of 2021, with fewer visitors at that point due to Covid-19, took the community by surprise.
There was also concern among residents about the availability of water for hand-washing during the pandemic.
It is understood a site was acquired for new storage tanks and it was then deemed too expensive to construct them.
Irish Water says it is committed to a “ long term solution for the provision of drinking water on Inis Oirr”, which “will be developed” as part of a national water resources plan.
However, it is expected this will take some time, as submissions on a national draft framework plan for water resources are currently being reviewed.
Irish Water says four regional water resource plans will involve public consultations later this year, and each plan will be subject to strategic environmental assessment and “appropriate assessment”.