This World Water Day we’re showcasing the incredible work of Wine To Water and how our partnership with this unique non-profit organisation is helping to make a positive impact on communities.

There are 2.2 billion people around the world who live without safely managed drinking water. As a leading manufacturer of plumbing products, a core part of RWC’s purpose is to support the global communities that have the greatest need for safe clean water, and where we can help make the biggest difference.

RWC started a relationship with Wine To Water (WTW) in 2022. Since then, we have worked together on many projects, bringing water to isolated communities in Nepal and for relief response in natural disaster and conflict areas.

Our support involves fund-raising through ‘Step Challenges’, assembling water filters and providing expertise, equipment and volunteers to projects in the field.

“Working with Wine To Water brings our whole company together to make a genuine, lasting impact on people’s lives.”

Ali Eisner, Director of Social Impact

 

About Wine To Water

Wine To Water is a global non-profit organisation with the goal of helping to preserve life and dignity through the power of clean water.

It was founded in 2004 by Doc Hendley, while working as a bartender in North Carolina. Hendley had travelled to Sudan in North Africa where he had experienced the need for water, first hand. With his background in drinks, he saw the opportunity for connection to the wine industry, hence the name Wine To Water.

Now, WTW partners with businesses of all kinds, all over the world. Active in Nepal, Dominican Republic, the Amazon and Tanzania WTW develops water, sanitation and hygiene solutions (WASH) in direct partnership with local leaders and governments.

Their growing team works relentlessly to improve environmental sustainability, education, women’s empowerment, healthcare and economic growth.

The WTW Emergency Response team has also worked in Turkey and Syria performing earthquake and disaster relief. The team also responded to disasters in Florida, Mississippi and Pakistan as well as the war in Ukraine.

 

Power in partnership

“When our partnership first began in 2022, Ali Eisner simplified what RWC does, and I'll never forget it. RWC manufactures everything you don't see in a home or building. Everything behind the wall – pipe fittings, systems for water and plumbing. For me, the synergy between RWC and Wine To Water was obvious but what I came to learn is that the people who make up the structure of RWC viscerally understand the value of water in all of its daily uses.”

Courtney Matar, Director of Partnerships, WTW

In 2022 we started a series of Step Challenges in partnership with WTW amongst our employees across our global locations. The theme was to ‘Walk three miles so others don’t have to’ – referencing the average distance women and children walk for water in Nepal. Across 2022 and 2023 this has raised significant funds bringing water to hundreds of people in Nepal.

One of the ways that Wine To Water provides access to safe water is through its innovative ceramic filters. Produced in their Dominican Republic and Tanzanian factories, they are designed to provide safe clean water, while reducing plastic waste and costs.

Each filter has the capacity to deliver 100,000 gallons of clean water, enough to last a family for years. The basic filter kits are assembled by volunteers and partner companies to transform unclean water sources into safe drinking water.  In 2023 we hosted twelve WTW Filter Builds® around the world, putting together 1,942 filters, providing access to clean drinking water to 21,362 people during times of crisis.  Every year now, on International Volunteer Day, across our regions we build WTW filters for wherever they are needed. We have even had local schools join in with our teams to contribute to this hugely worthwhile activity.

 

 

How we're making a difference

59,413 steps walked in our Step Challenge

781 lives transformed in Nepal

3,307 water filters assembled

35,012 lives impacted through filters

3,564,946 less plastic bottles used

38,000+ total lives impacted by our WTW partnership

Supporting communities in Nepal

In the Ichchhakamana (IKRM) region of Nepal, many communities are deprived of basic water and sanitation facilities. The high mountain landscape makes accessing water a challenging journey. Women and children spend hours every day making long, perilous journeys to collect water, carrying large jerry cans and plastic containers on their backs. Most of the population are Chepang, indigenous Tibeto-Burman people, often called the poorest of Nepal’s poor.

WTW is transforming lives and enabling these communities to flourish, in collaboration with the government of Nepal. Together we have provided long-term clean water solutions to over 3,000 people in the region. The project is continuing to grow, delivering wider benefits, with further support and funding. RWC’s support in Nepal also includes Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) education and training, community surveys, engineering planning and water quality testing.

2023 Ichchhakamana project in numbers:

697 people provided with clean running water, including 200 students who attend the local school.

11,161 meters of pipeline provided.

136 tap stands installed.

1 health post, 3 schools, 5 community centers, 127 homes

1 water source – a natural spring

5 reservoir tanks

 

In summary

Our partnership with Wine To Water makes all our people at RWC feel empowered to help others with life’s most precious resource, water. It brings our people together, living our values and giving purpose to our company culture. When you invest in access to clean water, you also create a transformational impact beyond water – including women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability and resiliency, economic growth, improved healthcare, and education. When a person no longer has to walk for water, and when the babies grow up without experiencing this burden, a generational transformation takes place.

Working with Wine To Water we’ve learnt that to achieve long-term success, we have to work closely alongside communities, training people to take ownership of their water systems. Wine To Water is an incredible organisation, making a difference to millions, and we encourage everyone to support them in any way they can.

Read more about Wine To Water here:

www.wtw.org