Virginia-based Company Makes School More Resilient During Hurricanes
WARRENTON, VA., April 20, 2021—More than a year after being invited to Puerto Rico, then stalled by the COVID lockdowns, Virginia-based Constant Water, LLC delivered and installed two emergency water systems in Fundación Pequeño Campeón de Jesús in Barceloneta. Constant Water’s systems will ensure potable water is available immediately following a hurricane.
Pequeño Campeón de Jesús is a non-profit school supporting special needs children and it requires reliable emergency water for their students following major storms. Many of their students require daily therapies to maintain their progress. Without water, they can’t provide the ongoing care that is so critical to the children.
“It was a joy to visit the school,” said Judson Walls, Constant Water’s CEO. “David Jimenez and his team at Pequeño Campeón de Jesús provide critical and heartwarming support to a wonderful group of children in the community. We are humbled to contribute a small piece to their tremendous on-going work and to their resilience during future hurricane events.
“Constant Water systems ensure water is in place before the storm, provide more water, and are less costly than a response approach. And we decrease the environmental impact of plastic water bottles.”
Like so many in Puerto Rico, the school has a roof-mounted water tank holding almost 300 gallons of water, but as a gravity operated system, will not provide water to many of the sinks and toilets on the small campus. And the water tank may not survive a major hurricane.
David Jimenez, the Executive Director of Pequeño Capeón de Jesús, said, “Constant Water is so much better than what we have in place now. Constant Water systems provide a more resilient solution, allow us to provide water to all the buildings so we can flush toilets, wash hands and meet the basic water requirements for our activities. ”
We take water for granted. For these children, nothing can be taken for granted. Many rely on the school for basic education, but also for physical, speech or occupational therapies that allow them more independence. The children will continue timely therapy that will prevent a relapse from important progress.
In 2017, Hurricane Maria left much of Puerto Rico without power and water for months. Today, the electrical grid is more fragile and the risk of being without water is high. Following Maria, the U.S. shipped more than 25 million gallons of bottled water at almost $30 per gallon, but lost most of it. From the DHS Office of the Inspector General September of 2020 Report:
— 25 millions gallons shipped
— 63% of deliveries lost
— $30 per shipped gallon (almost $80 per delivered gallon)
— 69 days to final destination
— 27% of municipalities received sufficient water
Says Judson Walls, “We think potable water in place is more effective and less costly than potable water enroute. Constant Water systems ensure potable water is in place when the storm hits, provide more water than a response approach, and are less costly than a response approach. We also decrease the tremendous environmental impact of millions of plastic water bottles.”
For more information, visit www.constantwater.com, email info@constantwater.com or call (540) 347-3440.
Media contacts:
Judson E. Walls,
Constant Water, LLC
(540) 347-3440
info@constantwater.com
Rafael Babilonia-Dudley
UNITED DMV
845-633-0577
rbd881@live.com
David Jimenez
Fundación Pequeña Campeón de Jesús
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
(787) 605-3691
david.jimenez@pequenocampeon.org
