On March 22nd, 20204, One Water announces that, together with The One Foundation, it has now raised £30 million, supporting clean water projects in the most water-stressed areas of the world.
The multi-million pound fundraising milestone, achieved through sales of bottled water, corporate partnerships and donations, has helped to change the lives of over 5 million people around the world, bringing access to safe, clean drinking water for rural and urban communities and responding to humanitarian emergencies.
Safe clean water on tap is often taken for granted, with the average person in the UK using 152 litres of water per day. Yet around the world, more than 1,000 children aged under five die each day from illnesses caused by unsafe water and sanitation.
There are still 703 million people globally who lack access to safe, clean drinking water, including a shocking 115 million who still collect untreated surface water from lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. These people survive on as little as 5 litres for all of their daily needs, whereas just one flush of a toilet typically uses 5+ litres of water.
Marked annually on 22nd March, World Water Day is a United Nations Observance Day, inspiring action to tackle the global water crisis, to support the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensuring availability of water and sanitation for all.
By purchasing any of One’s products, a donation is made to The One Foundation to fund life-changing water programmes. The funds raised are invested across two key sectors, currently focused in Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi and Kenya: implementing large scale urban water systems and handpump repair in rural communities. And responding to humanitarian emergencies worldwide.
Founder, Duncan Goose: “Having set out to change just one life, to have changed 5 million is an incredible milestone and one that would not have been possible had it not been for all our partners, customers and the wider public who’ve been buying One water over the years. I would particularly like to recognise Co-op, Starbucks, World Duty Free and all the other partners who share our vision for a fairer world. My hope is that One is recognised for all it has done and becomes a truly global brand for change.”
One Water is currently available in Co-op stores, Holland & Barrett, NISA, Starbucks, Whole Foods Market, World Duty Free, other leading hospitality and convenience outlets and major wholesalers including Bidfood and Brakes.