Bundoran has been crowned as Ireland’s ‘Think Before You Flush Community Of The Year 2019’.
The seaside town was recognised for its efforts to flush out bad loo habits to prevent sewer blockages.
The award follows the seaside town being announced late last year as Donegal’s first Think Before You Flush community and becoming the 14th overall community in Ireland to adapt the initiative.
Elizabeth McIntyre, Diarmaid Doherty, Shane Smyth, Cllr Micheal McMahon, Gina Witherow & Aine McIntyre celebrating Bundoran’s award
The initiative which was a collaboration between Bundoran Tidy Towns and Discover Bundoran was officially launched on World Water Day March 22nd this year and received the unanimous backing of many of the accommodation providers in the town, as well as a number of other businesses to encourage customers and guests to only flush toilet paper down the toilet.
Thousands of tent cards and posters were distributed throughout the town to ensure that the message got out at the time and continues to be implemented.
Cllr Micheal McMahon collects the award on behalf of the town at last week’s ceremony
An estimated 4,600 blockages occurred across Ireland last year due to inappropriate items being flushed down toilets. Every day people flush thousands of items such as wet wipes, cotton bud sticks, nappies and cotton wool pads down the toilet instead of putting them in a bin. Flushing these items can have a negative impact on internal plumbing in homes and businesses, the wastewater network and our marine environment.
Receiving the award on behalf of the town, Councillor Micheal McMahon paid tribute to the businesses in Bundoran who strongly supported “Think Before You Flush” – he said ‘a huge thanks must go to all of the businesses in Bundoran who backed this campaign. It may seem small but flushing other objects down the toilet causes massive issues in pipes and ultimately at the pumping station which then cannot work to its full capacity.
‘We would continue to encourage private householders and visitors to only flush toilet paper down the toilet and to dispose of items like nappies, cigarette butts, medicines, baby wipes, sanitary pads etc in a responsible way and not down the toilet.’
