NI Water Staff become Environmental Champions

28 August 2015 14:53

From working in the office, to educating the public, NI Water staff from across the business have been transformed into environmental champions by the company in a bid to educate customers on better flushing habits and how to save water.

Seventeen champions from across the business will be informing and educating school pupils, community groups and the general public, on NI Water’s environmental campaigns including water efficiency and ‘The Dirty Dozen’.

Each person in Northern Ireland uses approximately 155 litres of water each a day, much of which is wasted. The champions will be encouraging the public to “Use Water Wisely” by turning off the tap when brushing their teeth, having a shower instead of a bath and using a watering can, not a hose, when watering the garden.
 
When it comes to our wastewater, the champions will be promoting NI Water’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ campaign. The campaign is intended to raise awareness of the damage that can be caused by the flushing of inappropriate items down the sewerage network, which can result in blockages. Every day hundreds of disposable items such as baby wipes, cleaning wipes, cotton buds and nappies get flushed down the toilet, blocking our sewerage systems and sometimes ending up on our beaches. We clear in the region of 16,000 sewer blockages every year, many of which are avoidable through better practices. The champions will be reminding the public to only flush the 3 Ps Pee, Poo and Paper, whilst everything else should go in the bin!

Angela Halpenny NI Water’s Head of Environmental Regulation explains, “We had a fantastic response from colleagues across the business keen to become environmental champions and play their part in contributing to improving the environment we live in for all to enjoy. The champions will be able to use their skills to influence and educate both children and adults across Northern Ireland, helping to spread far and wide the importance of saving water and not flushing inappropriate items down the toilet. This will not only improve services to NI Water customers, but will help to improve our natural environment on which we all depend.”
 
The champions have been split into three teams each dedicated to delivering these key environmental messages to differing audiences.

If you have a school or community group who would like a visit from one of our champions please contact education@niwater.com.