Water Missions Responds Locally
October 30, 2015
Andy Fairey, a board member at Water Missions International and COO for Charleston Water System, contacted Water Missions once the need for a response in Columbia was evident. Water Missions immediately began working to deploy two Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems, one of which was donated by Parker Hannifin. Five staff members from Water Missions' headquarters traveled to Columbia just 24 hours after the receiving the request. They worked throughout the night to install the RO system, which uses water pressure to push water through a semi-permeable membrane filter to remove contaminants. Each system is capable of providing tens of thousands of gallons of safe water per day.
Water Missions worked in partnership with the City of Columbia and the Department of Environmental Control (DHEC) to treat drinking water for residents of Columbia. The team also received utility support from Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Spartanburg and Buford/Jasper to install 28 distribution tanks at 10 different locations around Columbia, providing safe drinking water to the people affected by the floods.
Another international non-profit, Operation Blessing, also joined in the effort. We often work together to serve those in developing countries, but it is rare that our efforts are needed stateside. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide our neighbors with clean, safe water in a time of distress. The support from volunteers, donors and partners in this effort has been tremendous, and we could not have provided relief without your generosity.
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