All winners pictured with (l-r) Pat McCauley, NI Water; Graham Smith, Consumer Council for Northern Ireland; Sara Venning, Chief Executive, NI Water; and Anna Killen, NI Water.

Bag It and Bin It was the important message handed out – alongside prizes – following NI Water’s tenth annual schools competition.

This year, there was a fantastic response from Key Stage 2 pupils right across Northern Ireland, who got to work designing promotional posters on the theme ‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside’. This was to raise awareness of the impact of flushing inappropriate items down the toilet and how they can end up on our beaches. Killinchy Primary School and Andrews Memorial School, Comber were among the winners.

NI Water’s Outreach and Learning Officer Anna Killen comments, ‘We were delighted with the response rate from schools and very impressed with the standard of artistic work and imagination on offer.

“The water we use in our homes and schools forms part of the water cycle. Once we are finished with it, NI Water treats it and returns it to the lakes, rivers and oceans. NI Water must make sure it is safe for plants, animals and people to reuse it which is why, each day, we treat 330 million litres of wastewater from 663,000 households.

“Primary school children were challenged to design a piece of art to illustrate how rubbish flushed down the toilet can not only cause chaos in the sewerage system, but also end up on our beaches.

“Our judges had a difficult task in selecting the category finalists, as the standard of work was – as always – very high. Thank you to everyone who took part, whether you submitted a poster, provided an idea or encouraged your school to join in.”

The awards ceremony took place at the NI Water Wastewater Heritage Centre in Belfast on Tuesday 20 June. Winners received monetary donations for their school along with a certificate and water goody bag.

All media enquiries to NI Water Press Office on 028 9035 7695 or email

press.office@niwater.com.