WaterAid Australia launches walk for water fundraiser

WaterAid Australia has launched its annual Walk for Water fundraiser to coincide with National Water Week.

The charity is inviting organisations and individuals to walk, run or ride for five days to raise money and awareness for communities without sustainable access to clean water. Participants can take part alone, with friends or in teams, and set their own distance goals and fundraising targets.

WaterAid says 696 million people worldwide still live without clean water close to home. Women and girls often travel long and unsafe distances to collect water, a task that can disrupt education, limit work opportunities and create health and safety risks.

The fundraiser has become a regular event for companies and teams across Australia's water sector. This year, 14 industry figures are serving as ambassadors, or Water Leaders, to encourage support across their workplaces and professional networks.

The ambassadors include representatives from Actemium, AECOM, South East Water, Sydney Water, Alluvium Group, Aurecon, Water New Zealand, Barwon Water, Downer, Interflow, Yarra Valley Water, Sequana, TRILITY and Xylem.

A separate long-distance effort is also part of the broader campaign. Zoe Walsh of Sequana, Chris Edwards of Inside Water and Terry Down of Finao are set to walk 83.3 kilometres across Melbourne, linking the city's four metropolitan water utilities on foot while aiming to raise AUD $10,000.

Sector backing

Denisha Anbu, Executive General Manager, Strategy and Stakeholder, South East Water, said: "At Sydney Water, everything we do is about creating a better life for our customers through world-class water services. However, across the world there is a water and sanitation crisis that keeps hundreds of millions of children out of school, adults out of work and traps people in poverty. If we solve this crisis, we can provide these communities with the hope and power to change their future.

"The one hour of walking, riding or cycling each day for one week as part of WaterAid's Walk for Water represents the daily reality endured by millions around the world to access their nearest water source. It's something tangible and healthy we can do to raise much-needed funds for underprivileged communities."

Another ambassador highlighted the broader international dimension of water access.

"Water issues are global issues and there are huge challenges facing the entire planet, with many communities locked out of opportunities because they lack access to basic necessities such as safe drinking water and sanitation. As a Water Leader, I'm motivated to support any efforts to increase access to water for deprived people across the world and improve quality of life. Walking for water is a great opportunity for everyone to get involved," Blythe said.

WaterAid works with communities in 22 countries on water, sanitation and hygiene projects. The organisation says access to clean water remains closely linked to health, education and economic opportunity, with unsafe water and poor sanitation continuing to affect children in particular.

Figures cited by the charity show that 2.1 billion people do not have safe water, 1.7 billion lack soap and water to wash their hands at home, and 1.5 billion do not have a decent toilet of their own. Almost 400,000 children under five die each year from diseases linked to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Fundraising focus

The event asks participants to reflect the time many people spend each day collecting water. Women and girls worldwide spend 200 million hours every day on that task, highlighting the scale of the burden in places where water is not available close to home.

Tom Muller, Chief Executive, WaterAid Australia, said: "The support of the water sector is vital in our mission to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to clean water. Its commitment, through events like Walk for Water, demonstrates the power of collaboration in tackling the global water crisis and creating lasting change for communities most in need."