TULSA, OK, Sept. 2, 2005 -- Risk Management Solutions quadrupled Monday's estimate of the cost of total damage to $100 billion, based largely not on the hurricane but flooding after the Aug. 29 event -- particularly in New Orleans, where authorities ordered the city abandoned because of the breadth of the catastrophe. Still, some 200,000 people -- largely the least economically able -- were said to be left in the city as of Thursday, with thousands of evacuees being taken to San Antonio, Houston and Dallas.
Yet more criticism was heaped on the federal response to the disaster, which President Bush called "not acceptable" after labeling the tragedy one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Much of it had to do with underfunding in recent years of Army Corp of Engineers and FEMA efforts to prepare for such a disaster. Bush named his father, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton to lead relief campaign efforts, reprising the role the former presidents played following the tsunami that struck South Asia in December. Congress meanwhile appropriated $10.5 billion for relief efforts.
Meanwhile, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that Americans have given more than $93 million in aid to Katrina victims, including more than $27 million from corporations, according to an item posted Thursday to Business Week online, which added that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce projected corporate giving will top $100 million.
A number of articles appeared warning those making pledges online to beware of scams. To learn more and to how to donate safely to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, see: American Red Cross.
For additional giving opportunities, don't forget tonight's Concert for Hurricane Relief (8 p.m. ET, Sept. 2, NBC/MSNBC/CNBC) or other upcoming celebrity-led efforts by the MDA Labor Day Telethon, BET, MTV, VH1 and CMT.
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While a host of headlines are available on this topic, here are a few more relevant to the water and wastewater treatment industry. Feel free to click through to read the full story:
• Anheuser-Busch Continues to Supply Water to Victims of Hurricane Katrina and Raises Financial Commitment -- ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2, 2005 -- Anheuser-Busch Companies said today it will be increasing its donation of fresh drinking water to nearly 2.5 million cans per week to Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Recognizing the unique position the company is in to provide safe drinking water, the company will also be converting operations at its Houston brewery, in addition to its Cartersville, Ga., brewery, to producing canned water. The company's Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anheuser-Busch Companies, is also increasing its donation to the Red Cross to $1 million to help ongoing relief efforts along the Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Anheuser-Busch will also match contributions made by its employees to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In addition, the company announced it will match up to an additional $1 million from its independent wholesalers nationwide...
• Shaw Group Commits to Match Employee Donations to Hurricane Katrina Relief and Recovery -- BATON ROUGE, LA, Sept. 2, 2005 -- The Shaw Group Inc. will match cash donations made by its employees to the American Red Cross, United Way, or other appropriate organizations for relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In addition, Shaw urges its employees to make donations of non-perishable food, clothing, furniture, supplies and other useable items to collection centers organized by the relief agencies. Lastly, as in all natural disasters, blood is in short supply and Shaw encourages its able employees to make blood donations at their local blood centers on behalf of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts...
• Calgon Carbon Announces Hurricane Impact in Mississippi -- PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Calgon Carbon Corporation announced today that its Pearl River Plant has been idle since Sunday, August 28, 2005 due to a mandatory evacuation order in advance of Hurricane Katrina. A preliminary inspection of the plant, conducted yesterday, indicated that the damage from the hurricane was limited, but the full extent of the damage will not be determined until a thorough assessment can be completed, possibly sometime next week. The company's number one priority is to determine the location and condition of each Pearl River employee...
• Insituform Technologies Assesses Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Operations in Gulf -- CHESTERFIELD, MO, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Insituform Technologies Inc. stated that it is assessing the effects of Hurricane Katrina on operations in the Gulf region. The company's first and primary concern is locating and accounting for all of its employees in the region. It has a number of crews, administrative and support personnel based in its Hammond, La., office. At present, most have been accounted for...
• Nestle Waters North America Donates Over Million Bottles of Water Toward Hurricane Relief -- GREENWICH, CT, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Coordinating directly with the American Red Cross and Americares, Nestle Waters North America Inc. has so far donated more than one million bottles of bottled water to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The bottled water was delivered to Baton Rouge and other staging areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. The company anticipates making further shipments as requests from the American Red Cross are received...
• Miller Brewing Donates Up to $1 Million to American Red Cross, 18 Truckloads of Water Already Committed -- MILWAUKEE, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Miller Brewing Company announced today it will donate up to $1 million to the American Red Cross to aid with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Miller will be donating $500,000 immediately and will match all contributions from its employees and distributor partners up to an additional $500,000...
• Seychelle Water Filtration Products Announces a Donation of Thousands of Water Filtration Bottles for Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort -- SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Seychelle Water Filtration Products, a DBA of SEYCHELLE Environmental Technologies Inc., a leader in the design, manufacture and supply of proprietary/superior water purification and filtration products, announced a donation of thousands of water filtration bottles for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts along with Krystal Enterprises, a leading limousine manufacturer and other companies. This joint effort included thousands of its Ionic Micron Adsorption Water Filter bottles for International agencies providing relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina....
• Trinity Springs Donates Naturally Pure Bottled Spring Water for Hurricane Katrina Disaster Aid -- BOISE, ID, Sept. 1, 2005 -- Trinity Springs, Inc., bottlers of the world's purest natural spring water, donated 27,000 liters of TRINITY water to the disaster relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Working with Governor Dirk Kempthorne and the Idaho National Guard, the company delivered 12,000 1.5-liter bottles of pristine TRINITY water to the Boise Airport, filling a C-130 airplane set to depart this evening. The company is also donating another 6,000 1.5-liter bottles out of their Jacksonville warehouse...
• Bayer Pledges $2 Million to Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort; Matches Employee Donations Dollar For Dollar -- PITTSBURGH, Aug. 31, 2005 -- Bayer Corp., which spun off specialty chemical and water treatment company Lanxess last year, announced that, together with the Bayer Foundation, it has committed $2 million in cash and product donations to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The Bayer Foundation will match Bayer employee donations dollar for dollar, which will then be donated to the American Red Cross...
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For an earlier hurricane relief report, see: After Katrina: Thousands thought dead, insurers expect $25B impact from hurricane (Sept. 1, 2005) -- Less than a year after the largest humanitarian effort in the world due to an earthquake-spawned tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the United States is now dealing with its own historic humanitarian effort to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina which struck the Gulf Coast on Tuesday leaving a path of destruction across three states -- Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama. As such, the water industry steps to the fore with donations of equipment, supplies, personnel and money...
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