You voted for one of the 5 non-profit organizations tackling water-related issues last quarter to receive 1% of 8-oz New Wash sales. Take a deeper dive into the one who received the most votes: Gravity Water.
“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink,” laments the ancient mariner. The same could be said on land by many people around the world, and that’s where California-based Gravity Water comes to the rescue – by combining rainwater harvesting, elevated storage, and gravity-fed filtration to provide communities in developing countries with on-site, self-sustaining, 100% energy-free, safe drinking water.
Water Access
Reliable access to clean water is one of the greatest challenges that humanity will face in the future. According to a 2019 report from the World Health Organization, an estimated 785 million people lack access to clean water. Children under the age of five face the greatest risk of contaminated water due to undeveloped immune systems, resulting in over 485,000 deaths annually from diseases such as Typhoid, Cholera, and Hepatitis.
In some cases, there is simply not enough water in the environment to meet the demand. In other cases, insufficient financial resources or infrastructure – even if the water supply itself may exist – is mainly found where basic livelihood opportunities are rare and/or political corruption exploits resources.
Climate Change
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “extreme precipitation events… will very likely become more intense and more frequent by the end of this century…” and will increase erosion and runoff, contributing to water pollution and the risk of water-related diseases.
The Rainwater Advantage
Pollution enters water systems from runoff, infiltration through the soil, and poor management of human-related waste. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends rainwater since it lacks exposure to the majority of land-based pollutants. Gravity Water’s Clean Water Systems use a manual “flush” technique that diverts rainwater so that very little sediment enters the system, reducing the likelihood of bacteria that commonly bind to sediment during transport and ensuring a longer lifespan for water filters with less maintenance overall.
A Sustainable Solution
Rainwater catchment systems provide water storage above ground with zero energy required for manual or electrical pumping. Gravity is the only force required.
The Gravity Water tank system uses a three-tier filtration system. Pre-filtration removes particulates that enter the water tank system. A granulated carbon filter removes lead, heavy metals, odor, and taste, and a hollow-membrane filter removes 99.99999% of all bacteria.
With energy-independent filtration and storage, locally provided materials and management, adaptive capacity to climate change scenarios, and long-term economic sustainability, Gravity Water can successfully provide a long-term solution to clean water access for millions of people globally. Projects to date include Nepal, Viet Nam, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Puerto Rico.
Educational Opportunity
Gravity Water partners with U.S.-based schools to create pathways for youth leadership and global impact and has worked with K-12 students to bring safe drinking water to over 4,175 children in Nepal and Vietnam.
How You Can Help
A monthly donation of just $8 provides a child in need with a daily and permanent source of safe drinking water that they can depend on. Learn more at gravitywater.org.
