With more than 2 million people in need of clean drinking water as a result of the Southeast Asian tsunami disaster, the Water Quality Association is working with Water For People to deliver aid. WFP is acting as a liaison with international organizations that specialize in relief work to offer our assistance to the tsunami victims and to find water professionals who can help with technical assessments, engineering consulting, water quality evaluation and other technical assistance. They are also working to find small scale, low-tech water purification and treatment equipment or other systems for the groups that are asking for help.
A handful of companies have already mobilized to provide drinking water and emergency purification technology to the region, including:
- Zenon Environmental has teamed with Eureka Forbes, the largest Indian water purification technology manufacturer, and World Vision to provide filtration units to 350,000 victims in Sri Lanka and India.
- ITT Industries is providing 60 portable ST1 water treatment units for delivery to the disaster area. Combined, they are capable of treating more than 100,000 gallons of water every hour.
- General Electric has pledged more than $10 million to the relief efforts, including rapid deployment of emergency water purification units throughout the region.
WFP is setting up a fund for donations to address long-term water and sanitation needs. WQA members are asked to visit www.waterforpeople.org if they want to help with the immediate needs.
The following is a list of additional outreach resources. Wherever possible, please designate your funds to “Tsunami Relief”.
Emergency Relief
American Jewish World Service
http://www.AJWS.org
American Red Cross
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp
American Refugee Committee
http://www.archq.org
AmeriCares
http://www.americares.org
Art of Living Foundation & International Association for Human Values
[email protected]
CARE USA
http://www.care.org/
Catholic Relief Services
http://www.catholicrelief.org
Church World Service
http://www.churchworldservice.org
Humanity First, USA
[email protected]
International Orthodox Christian Charities
http://www.iocc.org
International Rescue Committee
http://www.theIRC.org
NetAid
http://www.netaid.org
Operation Blessing International
http://www.ob.org
Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org
UNHCR
http://www.unrefugees.org
Food & Medicine
Action Against Hunger USA
http://www.actionagainsthunger.org
CitiHope International
http://www.citihope.org
Direct Relief International
http://www.directrelief.org
Food for Life Global
http://www.ffl.org
International Medical Corps
http://www.imcworldwide.org/
MAP International
http://www.map.org
Mercy Airlift
http://www.mercyairlift.org
Oxfam America
http://www.oxfamamerica.org
Project Concern International
http://www.projectconcern.org
Project Hope
http://www.projhope.org
RescueCorps
http://www.rescuecorps.org
World Concern
http://www.christa.org
Children & Families
Christian Children’s Fund
http://www.christianchildrensfund.org
MADRE
http://www.madre.org
MercyCorps
http://www.mercycorps.org
Samaritan’s Purse
http://www.samaritanspurse.org
Save the Children
http://www.savethechildren.org
UNICEF
http://www.unicefusa.org
United Way International
http://www.uwint.org
World Vision
http://www.worldvision.org
WC&P would like to recognize efforts of individuals and companies in our industry that are making contributions to the relief effort. Please contact the magazine at [email protected] regarding your contributions so we can include that information in an upcoming issue.