'˜Water way to study' for Carrickfergus College pupils

Water education was the subject under instruction and discussion for students when they were visited recently by Karen Lindsay, one of Northern Ireland Water’s Environmental Champions.

The lessons of the day were water efficiency, water for health and ‘what not to flush down the toilet’.

Speaking about the visit, Karen said: “Although our planet is covered in water, only one per cent of it is actually drinkable.

“Pupils heard first hand why water is such a precious resource and how NI Water cleans it. We also encouraged them to think about how they can use water more wisely and how much water they should drink each day,” said Karen.

“To reinforce NI Water’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ message, we highlighted the importance of looking after our sewer network and to learn more about what shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet,” she said.

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ are the 12 most common items the public flush and dump down our sewers.

Karen said: “The ring leader is the innocent looking baby wipe, closely followed by the sanitary towel. These ordinary household items head a gang of everyday products that can cause mayhem in the sewer system when flushed down the toilet or dumped in the sewers.

“NI Water places great importance on educating young people in the vital role water plays in our lives and I’m delighted to be part of that as one of a team of Environmental Champions. We are very pleased with the positive feedback we have received from schools as it is a fantastic way for us to work within the local community and educate future generations of water users.”