Hometown H2O donation advances commitment to awareness of rural water crisis
A family of six in Terre Haute, Indiana, yesterday received a new water well system that will restore their access to clean, safe, drinking water. In collaboration with Xylem Inc. and Water Well Trust (WWT), Chris Long, NFL retiree and founder of Waterboys, donated a new water well to the Goff family. The donation included all necessary equipment, drilling and installation, as well as a yard cleanup and expansion, thanks to support from local distributor Bradford Supply and Mumma Brothers Drilling Inc. Piping material from The Vinyl Institute and bottles of water from Talking Rain Beverage Company were also included in the donation.
The Goff family has been without clean water access on their property following a well collapse in September 2022. Since then, the Goffs have resorted to obtaining water from a neighbor’s well situated half a mile away and then transported on a riding lawnmower. Once back at their residence, the water is deposited into 250–gallon holding tanks, taking 20 minutes to fill completely for use.
“Our neighbor has been kind enough to allow us to use his trailer to transport clean water back to our home from his property while we tried to find a solution,” said Kyle Goff, Water Well Trust beneficiary. “Water is life. Without it, you really cannot live. It’s great to see that people who aren’t even a part of our community would come out to help others in need. This is a huge blessing.”
This donation marks the 13th collaborative project for Xylem, WWT and Hometown H2O – a domestic water initiative dedicated to bringing clean, sustainable water to people and communities in need across the United States.
“The reality is that many American families – especially in rural areas – are forced to source their water from unsanitary means for everyday use and that should not be happening,” said Long, two–time Super Bowl champion and founder of the Chris Long Foundation. “Our mission with Hometown H2O is to address the issue of water scarcity that plagues many families across America. With the support of Xylem and Water Well Trust, we are committed to providing access to clean and sustainable water to those who need it the most.”
Launched in early 2020, Hometown H2O is a united effort between Long, his foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem to address domestic water scarcity issues, which currently leave more than 2 million Americans without access to clean water. Hometown H2O works alongside WWT, a national nonprofit that helps fund and supply water to low–income families.
“Given the significant number of people in the United States without access to this vital resource, the water sector has an opportunity and a responsibility to provide assistance and solutions,” said Susan O’Grady, senior director of marketing, Building Services and Agriculture, Xylem. “By combining the unique capabilities of Water Well Trust, our Watermark program and our industry knowledge with the Waterboys’ base of dedicated volunteers and partners, we are bringing water to communities that need it, and public awareness of this critical national issue.”
Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in continual water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of domestic water access. For more information about the Hometown H2O project, visit waterboys.org/hometown.
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