GALLE, Sri Lanka, Feb. 21, 2005 -- Former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush toured tsunami-affected countries of South and Southeast Asia, and visited Koggala, one of the Sri Lankan villages aided by water purification equipment donated by ITT Industries Inc.
ITT donated 56 mobile water treatment and desalinization systems throughout Sri Lanka in the wake of the tsunami. Each system can deliver 1,800 gallons per hour of fresh water. The total of 56 units will be able to provide 100,000 gallons per hour, or enough safe water for more than 500,000 people.
In addition to these mobile treatment systems, ITT donated 53 chlorine dosing systems for use in the disinfection and storage of fresh water.
"In the wake of the devastation, it was important for us to put together a U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership that could deploy with speed and supply the equipment that best met the needs of tsunami survivors," said Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri, Country Director of the US-Asia Environmental Partnership Program of United States Agency for International Development (USAID). "The partnership between the Industrial Services Bureau (ISB), USAID and ITT has been very successful and today many Sri Lankans can begin rebuilding their lives without worrying about clean water."
"We're very proud of the hundreds of ITT employees from around the world who responded on December 26th and in the weeks following to get the needed water purification systems to the people of Sri Lanka," said Steven Loranger, chairman, president and CEO of ITT Industries. "These employees, from the UK to Italy to China and the U.S., were motivated by a genuine desire to help."
Four product experts from ITT Industries spent more than two weeks in Sri Lanka heading the training. The team trained local representatives, including the Sri Lankan Army and Navy, to install, operate and redeploy the equipment as necessary. This equipment will remain in Sri Lanka to provide ongoing relief to people in the tsunami-affected areas.
ITT Industries Inc. (www.itt.com) supplies advanced technology products and services in key markets including: fluid and water management including water treatment; defense communication, opto-electronics, information technology and services; electronic interconnects and switches; and other specialty products. Based in White Plains, NY, the company generated $6.8 billion in 2004 sales.
For pictures and more information on the presidents' visit and tsunami relief efforts, visit the ITT Industries website (www.itt.com), UNICEF (www.unicef.org/media/media_24628.html) or Clinton Foundation website (www.clintonfoundation.org).
Additional reports from PennWell Water Group can be found at:
-- "Engineers Without Borders launches tsunami reconstruction capital campaign" (with links to earlier updates on the topic posted to our website at the bottom of that article).
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