Welcome from SWAN Chair

from Mark Boyden, Cathaoirleach, Sustainable Water Network

Water – pristine water – is the fundamental condition of all life on Earth.  In its cyclical path, from cloud to earth to sea, it nourishes all; birds, trees, insects, and human communities.  Where it is pure, biodiversity and human communities thrive…where it is polluted, the richness of natural habitat suffers, and humans become diseased.  In the water-cycle, we all live both downstream and upstream from other water users.  You depend upon your neighbours…they depend upon you.

The stewardship, or care, of water then must concern us all.  No longer may we turn on a tap and expect a refreshing drink, or flush a toilet, or even plan a garden without realising that all of our activities impact upon local water quality and the quality of life that it supports.

Through our pursuit of livelihood, recreation, and domestic chores we have the capacity, individually and as a community, to either:

•  mindlessly contribute chemicals, generate silts and excess nutrients to despoil local watercourses;

 or

•  learn “best-practice”, in all of our activities, to minimise our impacts.

SWAN has come together, as a network of Irish environmental NGO’s, to both;

1. keep an eye on the governance of Irish waters (the “top-down” factor), and;
2. promote awareness and pride of aquatic resources amongst individuals and communities (the “bottom-up” approach)  

Through this website we are seeking to provide a forum for the dissemination of information on our waters, their benefits, how they are governed, and how you may be empowered to make a difference.  Join us…it’s your world!