National water utility Uisce Éireann has lifted the Water Conservation Order across 13 Irish counties with immediate effect on Wednesday, ending hosepipe restrictions two weeks earlier than originally scheduled.

The restrictions were initially introduced nationwide in July following a prolonged dry spell and record summer temperatures, before being extended in late August for 13 eastern and southern counties where water supplies remained under strain. The order affected Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Meath, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow.

In a statement, Uisce Éireann credited the decision to recent heavy rainfall and significant voluntary reductions in water usage by households, farms, and local businesses. Mairéad Conlon, Asset Strategy Senior Manager at Uisce Éireann, thanked the public for their support, stating that voluntary conservation helped protect drinking water supplies during one of the driest Julys on record.

Despite the lifting of the formal ban, Uisce Éireann encouraged continued mindful water use. The utility reported that raw water sources in several areas, including parts of the Greater Dublin Area, Wexford, and South Tipperary, remain below typical levels for this time of year and will require ongoing recovery.