World Help Foundation Asks Local Support—

Newtown Can Help Purchase Water Purification For Tsunami Victims

By John Voket

Newtown’s only international charity is counting on town residents and service groups to help play a vital role in protecting the lives of thousands of tsunami survivors. World Help Foundation (WHF), located in an unassuming commercial plant on South Main Street, is gearing up relief efforts and preparing for the assembly of water purification systems that could be on the ground in affected areas of South Asia in as little as a few weeks.

The initial effort to underwrite the assembly of 25 water purification systems, devised by WHF sister company Water For Life, would provide up to eight million gallons of purified water from any contaminated fresh water source, according to company founder and charity board member Harvey Sellner.

“The units don’t desalinate sea water, but they will take any level of contaminated fresh water and turn out about a gallon of fresh drinking water a minute,” Mr Sellner said while demonstrating a prototype system at the company and charity’s headquarters Tuesday.

Mr Sellner, and WHF Executive Director Mary K. “Kathy” Tauras are organizing the local safe water response for the victims of the devastating tsunamis in South Asia.

“While the death toll in the 11 countries hit by this disaster is staggering and still mounting, political leaders and health officials believe that aggressive action is needed to prevent additionally high death counts due to contaminated water,” Ms Tauras wrote in a prepared statement to The Bee. “We know that it will take many months before ‘life as usual’ returns to the areas hardest hit by the tsunami, and we have the capacity to enable people to drink safe, clear, sweet water while they are putting the rest of their lives together again.”

Ms Tauras hopes local schools, scout troops, faith-based service groups and churches, as well as community groups like the Lions Club, The Newtown Fund, and Women Involved in Newtown will organize collections or contributions to finish and deliver the water systems. Mr Sellner said it would cost approximately $1,000 per single household unit, which works continuously for up to six months, before a quick cleaning and maintenance procedure makes the durable units as good as new.

“For every $1,000 we can collect, we will be able to deliver lifesaving fresh water supplies to an affected family,” he said. “And if individual donors want to be part of the effort, they should be reminded that we are a 501c3 nonprofit, and all contributions are tax deductible.”

Besides the single household units, WFL is prepared to assemble a fresh water system capable of serving up to a dozen people a day, Ms Tauras said.

“These systems are designed to take over as bottled relief becomes more challenging due to the sheer size and weight of purified water containers,” Mr Sellner added. “Various configurations of our equipment can sustain a home or an entire community while the permanent restoration of water utility infrastructure is restored.”

He said once safe and permanent water supplies are established, the units can be cleaned, stored and recycled for use again, if needed, or shipped to other areas of the globe to be used for disaster relief.

“If the consumable components of these systems are replaced, the units have an indefinite shelf life,” Ms Tauras said.

On a larger scale WHF will seek to work with endangered communities constructing permanent water solutions through the development of mini-municipal purification systems that are capable of producing 1,000–5,000 gallons of fresh water every day.

“We hope Newtown residents and service groups will be enthusiastic about supporting our own town-based charity, and what officials across the world believe is the most imminent problem facing South Asian Tsunami victims, the need for fresh, clean water,” Ms Tauras said. “Anyone willing to help can send a check to World Help Foundation, PO Box 500, Newtown CT 06470, or telephone us at 270-7853 to charge a donation to your credit card.”

Once the situations in affected areas begin to stabilize, Mr Sellner and Ms Tauras hope survivors will come to understand that many lives were saved thanks to the outpouring of support from our home town and its hometown relief charity.

Founded in 1995, World Help Foundation endeavors to influence a significant increase in access to clean water and sanitation facilities in rural areas around the world, sustaining life and dramatically improving health. The organization hopes to prevent death and disease by providing safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene education through issue advocacy, public education, and developmental and relief programs, according to the organization’s website, www.worldhelpfound.org.

To carry out the integrated program globally, WHF partners with in-country host groups including Rotary, churches, nonprofits, water and sanitation contractors, and technical institutions to assess needs and, if local expertise is available, recommend solutions. WHF’s Technical Team reviews site requirements and recommended solutions coming in from the field, specifies solutions, and requests proposals for the needed components or pre-engineered systems from a range of suppliers.

Working with local counterparts, WHF selects the most appropriate solution given the site conditions and users capacity to sustain the improvement.

According to documentation on its website, the Water for Life Corporation product line was produced with developing countries in mind. The products had to be economical to operate and judiciously use electricity while providing unparalleled water purification.

Water for Life technology accomplishes all those objectives and more. It has proven effective in Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Somalia, and Venezuela.

In addition to underwriting the cost of parts and delivery of the water systems, WFL is planning several volunteer equipment assembly activities in Newtown in the coming weeks. Anyone or any service group wishing to see how their donations are being put to use is welcome to participate.

For more information, contact Ms Tauras at 270-7853.