ITT Corp., parent of Bell & Gossett, Goulds Pumps and other brands serving the HVAC and plumbing industry, has announced that, through its partnership with Mercy Corps, the company is donating five portable water treatment systems to the Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan in response to the recent flooding.

Of the more than 15 million people the Pakistan floods are estimated to have affected, the World Health Organization estimates only 1.2 million had access to critical safe water supplies. The water treatment units, which have the potential to provide clean water to as many as 200,000 people, were donated by ITT, and are being deployed through Mercy Corps’ large-scale humanitarian aid response.

This collaborative disaster response is part of a strategic partnership between ITT's corporate citizenship program, ITT Watermark, and Mercy Corps to provide safe water and sanitation during emergencies. Under the partnership, ITT has established an emergency fund to support Mercy Corps’ initial, on-the-ground assessment of short- and long-term needs following a disaster.

ITT and Mercy Corps’ joint activities have included trucking and chlorination of water, repair of water-related infrastructure, and restoration and construction of new water sources. In the Swat Valley alone, ITT’s support already has helped Mercy Corps provide 1.1 million gallons of water to 110,000 people. Mercy Corps’ initial assessments in Swat Valley and Sindh province identified an acute need for access to water and sanitation. As many as four million people have been rendered homeless following the worst South Asian floods in 80 years.

“We are pleased to be using our expertise in fluid technology to support our partner, Mercy Corps, in providing victims with immediate assistance as well as long-term recovery,” says Steve Loranger, chairman, president and chief executive officer, ITT. “Our funds and our products are being used to provide life-saving water and to prevent the spread of waterborne disease.”