Xylem Watermark, the corporate social responsibility program of Xylem Inc., and health-focused relief and development organization, Americares, aim to reach one million people in 2021, through their collaboration to improve access to clean water and sanitation. The program builds on the first year of the partnership, which delivered clean water and sanitation services to over 3.5 million people, helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.
In 2021, the partners will provide water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure repairs and education to frontline healthcare workers and communities across six countries including India and Bangladesh, currently experiencing COVID-19 spikes. In Mumbai, where informal, urban settlement communities are particularly impacted by the second wave of the pandemic, interventions will include rehabilitating WASH facilities at healthcare facilities, serving 70,000 people from the city’s most low-income areas. The partners will also provide WASH assistance to disaster-prone coastal communities in Bangladesh.
“Through our partnership with Americares we aim to bring this message to life for communities around the world and to empower them through improved access to clean water and sanitation,” says Austin Alexander, vice president of sustainability and social impact at Xylem.