"Only Flush 3Ps" poster competition winner announced

24th April 2023

Anastasia O’Mahony, a 5^th class pupil from St. Vincent’s Primary School, was the overall winner of a pilot school poster competition run by Cork City Council Operations Department in partnership with Uisce Éireann.  

The theme of the competition was “Only Flush 3Ps – Pee, Poo, Paper”. The aim of the competition was to create awareness about not treating toilets as rubbish bins.  A presentation was made to Anastasia and other classmates by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre Forde. 

Several Cork City primary schools took part in this pilot school poster competition, and representatives from Cork City Councils Operation Department visited the schools to speak to the pupils about how sewer blockages in Cork City are caused by items that should not be flushed down the toilet e.g., nappies, cotton wool, sanitary products, plasters, medicine, hair, wet wipes, cotton buds, vapes. 

Due to the success of this awareness campaign, the City Council will run a further "Only Flush 3Ps" colouring competition, with the winners announcement to be in conjunction with World Toilet Day on 19^th November 2023. It is hoped that creating awareness will help towards meeting Cork City Council's sustainability goals, given that the city's population is projected to increase by 50% by 2040. 

Based on data available from pump stations, network cleaning estimates and final treatment/de-sludging info from Carrigrennan Waste Water Treatment Plant, approximately 3,564 tonnes of waste was generated through the Cork City Council wastewater catchment zone in 2022, at a total cost of over €70,000.

It is estimated that 3.6 billion people around the world are still living with poor quality sanitation systems who do not have access to clean water. This is turn is detrimental to health which in turn contaminates the environment. 

For further information please contact onlyflush3ps@corkcity.ie or telephone 021-4924124.