Cork Students Walk for Water Conservation Awareness
Cork students from Nano Nagle College and Coláiste Choilm completed a 6km Walk for Water along the Lee, raising awareness of global water scarcity while learning about local conservation efforts.
Students from two Cork schools recently participated in a 6km walk along the picturesque banks of the River Lee to highlight global water scarcity issues. The Walk for Water 2025, organised by An Taisce Green-Schools in partnership with Uisce Éireann (Irish Water), brought together 25 pupils from Nano Nagle College and Coláiste Choilm to mark World Water Day.
The event, which began at Fitzgerald's Park and continued along the Lee Fields before returning to the starting point, aimed to raise awareness about the daily struggles millions of people in developing countries face when accessing clean drinking water.
Keith Collins, Project Manager at Uisce Éireann, spoke to participants about water conservation and explained the infrastructure beneath their feet. He highlighted that a large trunk main installed by Uisce Éireann runs under the Lee Fields, enabling water to be transported from Inniscarra reservoir to the Lee Road Treatment plant when necessary.
"By having this resilient system in place means we can keep water flowing to our customers," Collins explained. He emphasised that despite living in a water-rich environment, conservation remains vital. "When temperatures rise, so does our water consumption. We are asking everyone to play their part in conserving water, such as taking a shorter shower to turning off the tap when brushing your teeth."
The Cork walk was one of three similar events held across Ireland, with previous walks taking place in Howth and Galway attracting approximately 200 participants in total.
Maria Herlihy from Uisce Éireann described the walk as "an excellent opportunity to speak to schoolchildren about the importance of water conservation," adding that "the Walk for Water highlights how precious a resource water is."
Jennifer Cooney of Green-Schools expressed pride in joining the global community to celebrate World Water Day:
"Whether it's the rivers, lakes, or the water we use in our homes and schools, safeguarding these resources is essential for future generations."
Uisce Éireann has partnered with An Taisce Green-Schools since 2013. The Green-Schools' Water Ambassador programme educates pupils nationwide about respecting and conserving water resources while encouraging participating schools to take proactive steps to reduce their water usage.
