News

World Water Day 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   
February 2, 2009   
CONTACT: Liz Reberry
(303) 526-7278   
lreberry@healingwatersintl.org  

HEALING WATERS INTERNATIONAL COMMEMORATES WORLD WATER DAY BY DISTRIBUTING 75 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER.

(Golden, CO)  World Water Day, March 22, was initiated by the United Nations in 1992 to draw focus to the global crisis for 1.1 billion people that lack safe drinking water.  This year, Denver-based Healing Waters International will celebrate their role in helping to resolve this crisis by giving free water for a day at each of the 67 water purification systems they have built throughout the globe in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Guatemala.


Additionally, the worldwide day of awareness coincides with Healing Waters approaching a major milestone of distributing 75 million gallons of safe drinking water to poor communities in developing countries since its inception in 2002.  Healing Waters International was founded by a local Denver couple, Tom and Dana Larson.  After a visit to the Dominican Republic and witnessing the critical need, Tom and Dana quit their jobs as an Advertising Copywriter and Financial Analyst to begin the non-profit.

“We are humbled to play a role in closing the gap on the world water crisis,”  said Ed Anderson, CEO of Healing Waters International.  “We have become experts in our area of providing for the poor, urban communities of the developing world; but there is still so much many more in need.”

Traditionally, the purified water is sold at a highly affordable price, less than 1/3rd of retail, in order to provide sustainability to the water systems run by local partners while still making it accessible to the poorest in the communities.  Sustainability along with personal and community transformation are key components of the Healing Waters operational model.  Over 110,000 people in poor, urban slums receive their daily drinking water from Healing Waters sites. Additionally, the projects have put nearly $500,000 back into their neighborhoods with community service funds and donated more than 3 million gallons to local schools.  Every $50 donated to Healing Waters International since they began has provided water for life to another person.

While it took 18 months to distribute the first million gallons of water and three years to deliver 10 million, HWI is now distributing water at a rate of more than 1.6 million gallons a month.  With the addition of new systems in 2009, they are targeting to deliver more than 2 million per month by year end. 

Healing Waters International is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 that empowers local ministry partners to bring physical, social and spiritual transformation to poor communities by providing sustainable, safe water solutions.  Current projects are located in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Guatemala. For further information or inquiry you may contact Healing Waters International at their headquarters at 534 Commons Drive; Golden, CO 80401; (303) 526-7278; www.healingwatersintl.org.