World Water Day, March 22, was initiated by the United Nations in 1992 to draw focus to the global crisis for 1.1 billion people that lack safe drinking water. This year, Healing Waters will celebrate our role in helping to resolve this crisis by giving free water at each of the 67 water purification systems we have built throughout the globe in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Guatemala.
Additionally, the worldwide day of awareness coincides with a major milestone for Healing Waters International – distributing 75 million gallons of safe drinking water to poor communities in developing countries since our inception in 2002.
“We are humbled to play a role in closing the gap on the world water crisis,” said Ed Anderson, CEO of Healing Waters International. “We have become experts in our area of providing for the poor, urban communities of the developing world; but there are still so many more in need.”
Traditionally, at Healing Waters systems the purified water is sold at a highly affordable price, less than 1/3rd of retail, in order to provide sustainability to the water systems run by local partners while still making it accessible to the poorest in the communities. Sustainability, along with personal and community transformation, are key components of the Healing Waters operational model. Over 110,000 people in poor, urban slums receive their daily drinking water from Healing Waters sites. Additionally, the projects have put nearly $500,000 back into their neighborhoods with community service funds and donated more than 3 million gallons to local schools. Every $50 donated to Healing Waters International since we began has provided water for life to another person.
While it took 18 months to distribute the first million gallons of water and three years to deliver 10 million, HWI is now distributing water at a rate of more than 1.6 million gallons a month. With the addition of at least 9 new systems in 2009, we are targeting to deliver more than 2 million gallons of safe drinking water per month by year end.