One water filtration system, shown above, can provide 10,000 gallons of clean water a day for flood victims.

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico – The words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge have become a haunting reality for the nearly 1 million residents of Mexico's flood-ravaged city of Villahermosa.

"Water, water was everywhere, but not a drop to drink," said Operation Blessing President Bill Horan, echoing Coleridge.

With much of the city still underwater, Mexico's President Felipe Calderón is calling this the worst flooding in the country's history.

Thousands of communities already dependent on bottled drinking water before the floods are now finding their potable water sources quickly depleting.

Initial emergency relief efforts supplied several thousand gallons of bottled water a day to flood victims, but thanks to a recent partnership between Operation Blessing, DHL, and Water Mission International, thousands more will now have access to clean water.

OBI purchased four portable water purification systems from Water Mission International based in Charleston, SC. Each system typically costs around $7,500 but the nonprofit sold all four systems for $10,000 to OBI in order to help in the relief efforts.

Initial emergency relief efforts supplied several thousand gallons of bottled water a day to flood victims.

Combined, the four units provide 40,000 gallons of clean water a day or 600 gallons an hour from each machine.

DHL, a global delivery networking company, partnered with Operation Blessing and shipped the water systems free-of-charge to Mexico city. The Mexico Air Force then flew the units into the devastated regions.

"OBI was able to facilitate the logistics and delivery with our faithful partner DHL," Horan said. "Thanks to our hundreds of volunteers and partners we are making things happen and have become like a bridge over troubled waters."

In addition to clean water, Operation Blessing has also supplied survival bags filled with food and hygiene products as well as blankets, clothes and medicine. OBI is working with Centro Cristiano, the largest church in the state, to help distribute aid to more than 100 centers throughout the city.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

 

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