March 22, 2021 – Planet Water Foundation, a leading non-profit in the fight against water poverty, announces the completion of Project 24, its initiative to make a life-changing impact in communities which lack access to clean water. With the support of its corporate partners, Planet Water has successfully deployed 19 projects providing access to clean, safe drinking water for up to 34,200 people across five countries. Recipient communities each received an AquaTower community water filtration system, which removes viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other contaminants, and meets the daily drinking water requirement of up to 1,800 people. Each tower includes an integrated handwashing station with three liquid soap dispensers and six water access points to make handwashing convenient and frequently practiced. This marks the seventh year of Project 24 and this year Planet Water has enhanced its support for communities by integrating the AquaSan, the organization’s new surface disinfection system that provides sanitization capabilities to World Health Organization standards, into its projects. All recipient communities also received Planet Water’s Hygiene Education program which teaches healthy hygiene habits to children and caregivers to create a change in behavior and knowledge around water-health and hygiene. “This past year has been especially challenging due to Covid-19, but we continue to make a much needed impact in the communities where we operate thanks to the support of our donor partners,” said Mark Steele, CEO and Founder of Planet Water Foundation. “We have adapted our solutions to provide an even greater impact this year, with all beneficiary schools receiving one year’s supply of hand soap, and additional educational materials to reflect the increased importance of proper handwashing.” Project 24 is just the beginning of Planet Water’s involvement with these communities. As with all projects, Planet Water will carry out sustainability visits over the course of four years to ensure all the systems are working as designed and maintained properly. This year’s Project 24 supporters include Xylem, Electrolux, Watts Water Technologies, Inc., NortonLifeLock, Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing Co. Ltd., BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), Ludacka Wealth Partners, Freudenberg, Hilton Effect Foundation, Ingersoll Rand, Capital One, and Expedia.