Contact: Whitney Wyatt-Kovar, (800) 583-8003 ext. 5894
Mr. Rooter Plumbing and 3M Purification Inc. Make Cleaner Water a Reality in Haiti
Cleaner water is now a reality for some earthquake victims in Haiti. But that’s just the start.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing and 3M Purification Inc. taught Haitian women how to safely use their water while building water filters for future use, testing their water sources and establishing a micro-fund to help them sell clean water throughout their village.
After testing 10 wells in Haiti, they discovered 45 percent of the water was unsafe, and had high levels of bacteria. The river water tested badly as well.
“The water was sickening,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter Corporation. “You don’t want to put your hand in it, let alone drink it or use the water for cooking and taking baths. Bringing clean water to the Haitian people has to be one of the top goals right now.”
Using a chlorinator, Thompson and 3M Purification Inc. engineer Satish Chamyvelumani treated water while Mr. Rooter franchisee Derek Moreland taught the Haitians how to make water filtration devices.
In addition to giving them capsules to keep water clean, Chamyvelumani brought test kits and bags 3M Purification Inc. donated. Chamyvelumani left the products behind, so Haitian women can continue to test, treat and bag water, providing their families with cleaner water.
“The kids were sick and had whelps on their legs from the poor quality of water,” Thompson said. “The Haitian people were gracious and eager to learn about testing and treating their water.”
Mr. Rooter Plumbing and 3M Purification Inc. hope selling the clean water can become a trade for Haitian women. To help enable some of the 87 percent of jobless Haitians, Mr. Rooter Plumbing will return to Haiti.
On the next trip, they will work on the micro-funding for women selling water in Ferrier, Haiti. Several Mr. Rooter plumbers will also build a water tower for 10 recently built homes in Leogane, Haiti - the epicenter of the earthquake. They will then lay a piping system with multiple spigots throughout the village.
“We want to make their lives easier,” said Moreland, co-owner of the Mr. Rooter franchise in Toronto, who made the pledge to help Haitians during a leadership meeting with fellow franchisees in January. “Instead of the Haitian people having to fill up buckets and walk back and forth to get clean water, we want to provide a piping system for them.”
Another major item on the plumbing company’s to-do list: collect money for another drill. Despite the team’s 12-hour ride in the back of a pickup, two flat tires and sleeping on metal poles in a mattress-free bunk bed, Thompson says they want to do more.
“It was extreme and harsh for us, but it was luxurious conditions compared to the Haitians,” Thompson said. “I am filled with admiration for the people in Haiti, and their needs are still there, and they’re immense.”
Chamyvelumani agrees. While he was giving back, he got something in return.
"The trip to Haiti provided many lessons that will enable 3M Purification Inc. to develop sustainable solutions to water quality issues faced daily by people in areas such as Haiti in an effort to bring those less fortunate clean water,” Chamyvelumani said.
About Mr. Rooter®
Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company with approximately 300 franchises worldwide. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its Franchise 500 and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Mr. Rooter began franchising in 1974 and is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For more information or to find the location nearest you, please visit our Web site at www.mrrooter.com or www.mrrooter.ca.
About 3M
A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M’s core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms – often in combination – to a wide array of customer needs. With $23 billion in sales, 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com.
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