ITT Corporation announced on 22 February 2010 that, through its partnership with Mercy Corps, the company is donating five portable water treatment systems in Haiti, providing enough potable water each day for up to 200,000 victims of the 12 January 2010 earthquake.
The units were donated by ITT and deployed through Mercy Corps’ large-scale humanitarian aid response.
ScanWater filtration units, which work in tandem with ITT’s reverse-osmosis (RO) gear and a ScanWater technician have been sent to Haiti as part of a strategic partnership between ITT’s corporate citizenship program, ITT Watermark®, and Mercy Corps. The partnership consists of an ongoing commitment to help provide safe water during emergencies.
Immediately following the earthquake, ITT authorized Mercy Corps to tap up to US$ 100,000 of ITT’s 2010 Emergency Fund, established to provide fast funding to support an initial, on-the-ground assessment of short- and long-term needs after a disaster. The initial assessment in Port-au-Prince identified an acute need for access to water and sanitation, and set in motion the process of delivering the life-saving equipment to Haiti.
“Lack of clean water and sanitation presents a critical health risk to victims following disaster, and as a global water leader, ITT is uniquely positioned to help,” said Steve Loranger, chairman, president and chief executive officer, ITT. “There is much to be done in Haiti and we are proud to use our expertise in fluid technology to support our partner, Mercy Corps, with the rebuilding and recovery of water and sanitation infrastructure in Haiti for the long-term.”