Pro-active staff at Ashford N.S. installed pressure taps
Ashford National School.
Wednesday February 03 2010
ONE WICKLOW principal expects the water bill for 2010 to rise considerably with the introduction of water metering despite concerted efforts to cut their water usage.
Tom McGann of the Holy Rosary NS, Ashford, said they have always been conscious of their water usage in the school and have already installed pressure taps in the school.
He said that the Greens Schools committee was very active in the school and were always looking at ways to become more energy efficient.
'We are also thinking about changing the flushes in the toilets because one of the buildings was built in the 1980s while the other was built in the 1950s so the toilets all have traditional flushes rather than the newer ones. We have done a little bit in terms of water usage but we need to do more.
'The problem we don't have the finances to cover any major changes but we are tipping away at it.
'Our water usage has gone up significantly and we don't know why because there is nothing extra happening in the building so we may have a leak somewhere. I think that school should get grants to get their pipes checked for leaks too because that would help cut down any water wastage.
'From a school's point of view we are caught with everything. In other countries schools don't pay water or bin charges but here the charges for water are increasing all the time. Last year our bill was between €1,500 and €1,600 and I wouldn't be surprised if it is twice that with the new system. 'The problem is that extra €1,500 has to be taken from somewhere else and ultimately it is the children who will pay because we will have to cut back on something else. It's a Catch 22 situation. 'We are very fortunate here that the parents are very supportive but this (the new system) will certainly cause problems.' Mr. McGann also pointed out that with the recent swine flu pandemic the importance of hygiene had been highlighted to the children.
'With swine flu we made a big push on hygiene and that's where most of the water is used up – on hand washing and flushing toilets. You can't tell the students not to go to the toilet or wash their hands.'
