DOZENS of senior high school students from across the MidCoast will descend on Council’s Administration and Customer Service Centre in Taree for a special one-day event on Friday 11 November.

The Youth Hackathon for Water will bring together senior students from across the region to brainstorm solutions to the MidCoast’s biggest water-related issues.

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The event is a first of its kind for MidCoast Council and will see the students thrust into a fast-paced, competitive environment where they will work together in teams to tackle challenges such as climate change, water security and wastewater management.

Council’s Executive Manager of Water and Systems, Marnie Coates, said she was excited to see some of the innovative ideas the students would bring to the table.

“With our long-term water plan Our Water Our Future 2050 currently being developed, it’s really important we hear from young people about their vision for water on the MidCoast, as they’re going to be living with a lot of the decisions we make,” said Ms Coates.

“A hackathon provides a fun, practical format for us to hear from this demographic and find out where their values lie when they think about making sure we have enough water and our impact on the environment.

“Young people tend to think in a different way too, so there’s every chance they’ll come up with some creative ideas we haven’t even considered. I can’t wait.”

A prestigious judging panel has been brought together to consider the students’ solutions, including MidCoast Council Mayor, Claire Pontin; Taree Aboriginal elder, Uncle Will Paulson; NSW Water Directorate executive officer, Brendan Guiney; Taree Young Citizen of the Year 2022, Hailey Trudgeon; and Student for Climate Action leader, Elise Rourke.

The winning team will have the opportunity to present their solution to the Our Water Our Future Community Group in early 2023.

Currently, students from five schools across the MidCoast have confirmed their attendance, but there is still space for more to get involved.

Any interested schools or teachers should contact education@midcoast.nsw.gov.au

Community members wanting to provide input into Our Water Our Future 2050 can do so at https://haveyoursay.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/our-water-our-future

The plan will guide how Council manages water and sewer services in the region over the next 30 years.