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.”