Water Plus is helping bring clean water to schools and villages in Africa and Pakistan
Clean water supplies are being provided to communities, following the UK’s largest water retailer Water Plus’s work with two organisations
CLEAN WATER FOR COMMUNITIES: A clean drinking water well, now operating in Pakistan, supported by Water Plus (Image: Water Plus, Muslim Hands)
Drinking water wells are being built in areas of Pakistan and Africa where it’s needed the most, like in schools and villages.They are being built through the support of Water Plus, working with The Africa Trust and AquAid – and the aid agency and charity Muslim Hands.
This includes an “Elephant Pump” drinking water well, which has started to be built this year and will have the company name on it, following its support for the project. The Elephant Pump will be operating in the early part of 2023.
To encourage employees to use refillable drinks bottles and consider wider impacts on the environment, including how natural resources like water are used, two AquAid water units are now available at the main offices of Water Plus. The units are fed from drinking water pipes at the site - and AquAid has also donated money to provide safe and sustainable water resources in Africa for the two units.
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The water retailer is also trialling two units that create drinking water from air at its main offices, as part of employee engagement, providing a focal point each day to encourage further action to help limit the impacts we can all have on the environment. In separate support for an aid agency and charity that also helps install drinking water sources, a Tube Well has been provided for a village near Chārsadda, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.
The water well, which also has the Water Plus name on it, will be providing water to three families, which are normally around 20 people, including children. Clean drinking water wells can also help reduce carbon emissions as less wood is needed for fires to boil water, to make it safe to drink.
Umar Rashid from Muslim Hands, an aid agency and NGO which has offices in Nottingham and London, said: “We're dedicated to serving the most vulnerable people across the world in over 30 countries by addressing the root causes of poverty and empowering communities, so thank you to Water Plus for supporting people in need by providing clean and safe drinking water for some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. From addressing short-term needs, including building water wells and filtration plants, to tackling long-term issues such as providing sanitary pads to increase female school attendance rates, Muslim Hands works to alleviate poverty through a range of varied and important initiatives.”
A message from the community about the well in Pakistan, said: “We are extremely pleased and convey our thanks to Water Plus for the positive change that has been brought into our lives.”
Established in 1993, Muslim Hands is an aid agency and NGO helping those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disaster worldwide. The well in Pakistan started operating in 2022, after Water Plus supported the well project in August 2021.
Water Plus also supports other UK charities throughout the year with fundraising, including North Staffs Mind, which is based a few miles from its main office and provides mental health support, counselling services and advice.
Andy Hughes, Chief Executive of water retailer Water Plus, said: “Our people are passionate about supporting communities and charities throughout the year and vote on a Charity of the Year, as our main fundraising focus. Water Plus employees can also choose to do one day of volunteering each year – and some are choosing to be involved in careers’ insights and workplace skills for young people in Staffordshire as part of this, while others have supported local charity North Staffs Mind by re-painting counselling rooms in the last year.”
In May 2022, 15 staff from Water Plus grabbed rollers and paint to take part in a makeover challenge for three rooms at charity North Staffs Mind’s offices in Stoke-on-Trent. More than £5,000 has been raised for North Staffs Mind, including match-funding from Water Plus, with the final total currently being counted and collected.
In December 2022, fundraising for The Gingerbread Centre, a charity in Stoke-on-Trent, raised more than £190, to help families without a home. Water Plus provides water and wastewater billing and customer service, along with a range of technical water services and information around water efficiency, for organisations of all sizes.
The company also won a Green Apple Environment Award in 2021, for its work with organisations around cutting water waste and raising awareness around water efficiency. In November 2022, the company won four more Green Apple Environment Awards, including one for Partnerships with organisations and supporting projects that give a boost to biodiversity in the UK.
More information about Water Plus’s work with communities visit.
Submitted by Water Plus
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