Press Release
October 28, 2025 • 2 min read
Water-Share Ireland’s second Hackathon, hosted by GOAL Global in collaboration with Uisce Éireann and the DCU Water Institute, wrapped up last Thurs, 16th October at Dublin City University with outstanding success.
The theme of this year’s Hackathon was ‘Sustainable Water and Sanitation’ which challenged participants to develop real-world solutions to pressing WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) issues in vulnerable communities across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America where GOAL operates.
Over two days, multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and innovators tackled two key problem statements titled ‘Sludge Drying Efficiency at Freetown Pilot Plant’ & ‘Water Kiosks Challenge.’
Top Prize – The Shovellers Team from Glanua
Karen Feeney, Niall McGrath, Jordan Cahill, Raksha Balraj, and Nitesh Rokade impressed judges with their innovative approach to improving sludge drying efficiency at the Kingtom Wastewater Treatment Plant in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Their solution, featuring enhanced drying protocols, controlled ventilation, and strategic maintenance, could reduce sludge removal costs by 60% and pave the way for future composting and resource recovery.
Runner-Up – Water World Team from RPS
Stephen McCarthy, Niamh Clarke, Evgeniia Afinogenova, Dureshika Thilakarathne, and Declan Ahern earned second place for their scalable water treatment solution aimed at improving safety and governance in community water kiosks in Harare City in Zimbabwe.
People’s Prize – HogWASHers Team from Concern Worldwide
Voted by fellow participants, the HogWASHers including Katherine Hardgrave, Franck Flachenberg, Paolo Losi, and Ciaran MacMathuna, were celebrated for their creativity and collaborative spirit in delivering a lasting water supply in Mbare Flats in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Prof. Fiona Regan, Director of the DCU Water Institute, praised the event and said “The energy, innovation, and collaboration demonstrated at this event have been inspiring. The winning team from Glanua is a brilliant example of how one solution can simultaneously address both efficiency and sustainability.”
Alan Curran, Chair of Water-Share Ireland, added “This Hackathon is a testament to the ingenuity of Ireland’s water, engineering, and academic sectors. It’s inspiring to see how collaboration and creativity can tackle some of the world’s most critical WASH challenges.”
Other participating teams Included:
- Clear Well (EarthVisio & Wells of Life Ireland)
- Nyani (OutForm Consulting)
- Atkins Realis
- SEWA (Uisce Éireann)
- Aqua Aces (RPS)
- New Operational Design – NOD (Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd)
- MVURA (Uisce Éireann)
- Tobin Trojans (Tobin)
- IDD-iators (Uisce Éireann)
Sincere thanks to the generous Hackathon sponsors including Dublin City University, RPS and Nicholas O’ Dwyer and the drink company, Living Things.
About Water-Share Ireland
Water-Share Ireland is a GOAL initiative dedicated to improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in vulnerable communities worldwide. Through innovation, education, and collaboration, the program supports sustainable solutions to water scarcity and hygiene challenges, particularly in regions affected by conflict, climate change, and disaster. Please visit https://www.goalglobal.org/water-share/
