Xylem has announced that its partnership with Planet Water Foundation has provided more than one million people with access to safe, reliable drinking water and hygiene education.
According to the Xylem press release, the milestone was achieved through 10 years of partnership centered on a shared mission to create stability and equity for communities that lack access to clean water.
Through the partnership, Xylem has sponsored the deployment of over 500 clean water projects in 14 countries across Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Over the last decade, more than 1,600 Xylem employees have served as Planet Water project volunteers to install AquaTower systems and engage local residents in WASH education programs. Most recently, Xylem supported natural disaster responses in the Philippines after super typhoon Goni, and in Honduras following hurricanes Eta and Iota.
“Our partnership with Planet Water allows us to support communities that are in critical need of clean water," said Austin Alexander, vice president of sustainability and social impact at Xylem in the press release. "The fact that, together, we have now improved water access for one million people demonstrates the impact we can have when we partner together to solve the world’s water challenges. We have a unique opportunity to empower communities to achieve water security by providing innovative solutions, and we look forward to advancing this even further as we continue our partnership.”
Planet Water’s AquaTower solution filters contaminants from local water sources and can supply up to 1,800 people with their daily drinking water requirements.
Planet Water’s work centers on bringing clean water to the world’s most impoverished communities through the installation of community-based water filtration systems and by implementing water health and hygiene education programs, with a specific focus on schools, children, rural areas, and disaster response. Recently, Xylem sponsored AquaTower systems and hygiene education programs at schools in India and Mexico, where students often miss class due to water-related illnesses, according to the press release.
“To reach the one million milestone in 2020 is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers who have worked tirelessly to improve access to safe drinking water to countless communities over the last ten years," said Founder and CEO of Planet Water Foundation Mark Steele.
