Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has reiterated a call for people to use water wisely in an effort to protect supplies.

NI Water has advised that demand is currently outstripping supply and that we all need to take steps now to ensure everyone has sufficient water supply for essential hygiene and daily use.

Minister Mallon said: "There has been an increase in water usage over the last few weeks with the recent prolonged dry weather. For example on Thursday 15 July NI Water put 695 million litres of water into their distribution system - over 120 million litres more than normal. With further good weather forecast and the fact we are only in mid-July, we need to act now to protect water levels and prevent interruptions to supply or low pressure.

"There are many small, simple steps that all of us can make to use our water wisely. Over the past year and a half, the need for our precious water supplies has never been more evident in terms of our public health. Every small change can make a big difference when we work together to protect our water supplies - how we use our water can have a massive impact on water levels.

"A hose for example uses more water in one hour than the average family uses in a whole day. Large swimming pools and pressure washers also use massive amounts of water. NI Water have reported an increase in night usage meaning some customers are leaving sprinklers and hoses on overnight. We want everyone to be able to enjoy their home and garden in the good weather. Please stop and think if what you are doing is essential or if there is something you can do to help protect this precious resource to ensure everyone has access to sufficient supply."