Water as a universally accessible source is something that many Americans take for granted, and yet, water crises are happening across the country daily. From droughts affecting the Pacific Northwest to low aquifer levels in the Midwest, water access and quality are not a new phenomenon. It is, however, a growing phenomenon disproportionately affecting approximately 15% of the total US population living in rural America.

Rural US communities experience habitual quality of life implications due to limited water accessibility, poor water quality and poverty, including a range of health issues spanning from gastrointestinal illnesses and reproductive effects, to chronic diseases such as anaemia and cancer. As this situation is only predicted to worsen, the need for reliable, trusted partners to take the helm of the larger rural water crisis challenge is more important now than ever before.

Xylem as an advocate for change

Adopting a coordinated approach with advocacy groups, government officials and non-profits, global water technology company Xylem is making access to dependable water wells for rural communities a reality. Through its corporate social responsibility programme, Watermark, Xylem is spearheading water well installation projects in rural areas across the US - helping these communities and their residents obtain clean, safe water and promoting economic freedom and self-reliance for residents in these areas.

Private water wells offer a practical solution for obtaining water in rural regions by providing instant access to fresh water. Other benefits include cost savings, access to a readily available supply of water and the ability to reach even the most remote rural areas.

Cost savings

According to the Water Systems Council, small and rural communities can realise up to 75% cost savings by using water wells versus municipal pipeline systems. Like a public water system, private wells require regular maintenance to ensure proper function, and yet, residents do not receive a monthly water bill from municipal systems.

At the same time, economic savings are only the tip of the ROI. For one Southwest family, a partnership with Xylem and the Water Well Trust (WWT) to install a new well represented a life-changing moment with both financial and emotional savings. 

An ongoing water crisis that is only worsening

Nearly 25 years ago, Nancy and Luis Salazar moved to a small plot of land outside San Antonio to be closer to relatives. Like many low-income, rural Americans, the Salazar family lacked access to a dependable, clean water source, a situation only intensified through caring for their daughter, Nissi, who has cerebral palsy, and living on a modest income that prohibited them from being able to finance and build a well, instead sharing water from one located on Nancy's parents' property next door.

In 2019, Nancy reached out to the WWT for assistance and what ensued was nothing short of remarkable. Xylem Watermark provided a grant for the project as well as equipment and volunteer labour, while local distributor Austin Pump & Supply and dealer Schwope and Sons stepped in to provide drilling services and additional materials for the Salazar's new well.

As a result of the collective effort between WWT, Xylem and local partners, this project cost approximately $6,500 compared to the almost $85,000 it would have cost to connect to the nearest public water supply. The new well also means the Salazar family has peace of mind and economic independence so that they can focus on what matters most.

Families like the Salazar's who benefit from partnerships like these and receive private wells typically experience cost savings ranging from 79% to 99% compared to the expenses of running public water lines to reach their homes. The long-term value of readily available access to safe drinking water is far more difficult to quantify, though.

Readily available supply of water

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 23 million households rely on private wells for drinking water in the United States. As domestic wells access water from an underground aquifer, which is present in most areas of the US, communities and individual well owners are provided with a safe source of water independent from the municipal supply. In addition to being readily accessible, water obtained from naturally filtered sources such as groundwater is rich in minerals and nutrients that are often removed from public drinking water through disinfection.

Accessibility spans all regions

While warming temperatures resulting from climate change, rapidly growing populations and economic expansion have contributed to the water crisis across all regions of the US, water wells present a viable solution in even the most remote corners of the country.

The rural Appalachian region has experienced routine neglect of water service and sewage system maintenance and repairs, spurring an ongoing water crisis that is only worsening, according to a six-month-long reporting project conducted by The GroundTruth Project.

The Appalachian subdivision of Holly Ridge in Candler, North Carolina, has struggled for years, with its neighbourhood water well system in such disrepair that 24 households, including 45 adults and 18 children, were left with inadequate water pressure, discoloured, odorous water or no water at all.

Although groundwater is the main source of drinking water for 52% of North Carolina's population, many private well users lack resources to maintain their wells, and surface mining contaminates groundwater with harmful elements such as iron, sulphur and arsenic. What is more, rural Appalachia's rough terrain, isolation and poverty levels of thousands of residents make it extremely difficult and cost-prohibitive to hook into the municipal water supply.

Working with the WWT, Xylem provided all the materials to rehabilitate the Holly Ridge wells and rebuild the well houses. The total project cost just over $45,000, $3 million less than the cost of connecting to the municipal water system. Despite dire conditions, domestic water wells can provide a resilient water supply by tapping into aquifers across many different climates and terrain.

 

In 2020, Xylem and the WWT furthered their water safety efforts by partnering with the Chris Long Foundation to launch the Hometown H2O programme, which engages in domestic projects focused on bringing funds and clean water access to Americans living in low-income, rural areas.

Meeting the growing water crisis

Water wells offer an affordable, readily available and practical solution for rural families and communities grappling with the water crisis in America. While private water wells are a vital source of water to address water scarcity challenges, solving water insecurity requires a multi-pronged approach that includes the adoption of smart technology, policy advancements and innovative partnerships to raise awareness of water-related challenges and potential solutions.

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Susan O'Grady is director of marketing at Xylem Inc. and she works to make a positive impact on the water quality industry through Watermark, Xylem's corporate citizen programme. As a member of the Water Systems Council, she partnered with Water Well Trust executive director Margaret Martens to oversee the Holly Ridge water well project with the help of Xylem's Goulds Water Technology, Merrill Drilling & Water Resources in Penrose and Hughes Supply in Statesville.

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