Water technology company Grundfos will host the Grundfos Virtual Walk for Water on Sept. 26 and 27 — the 10th annual walk in support of the fight against the global water crisis.

The Grundfos Walk for Water is an annual fundraising event held for Water Mission, a non-profit engineering organization that designs, builds and implements sustainable safe water solutions around the world. Participants walk 3.5 miles (5.6 km), the average distance that millions of women and children make each day to retrieve water that is often contaminated.

“Imagine going through this pandemic with no clean water,” said Dieter Sauer, Grundfos regional managing director for the Americas. “We wash our hands without thinking. What happens when there’s no soap and the water is filled with bacteria that causes waterborne diseases? This is the reality for billions of people around the world. We’re partnering with Water Mission to help solve these water and climate challenges.”

Open for everyone in the world to participate, the walk will take place virtually this year due to public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grundfos and Water Mission are encouraging participants to follow their government’s health and safety guidelines. Registration is free. The fundraiser’s goal is $140,000 in donations.

A virtual broadcast kick-off will bring awareness of the 2.2 billion people who live without safely managed drinking water. The Grundfos Virtual Walk for Water Kick-Off will be broadcast on Sept. 25 on global social media platforms including: LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

“Grundfos is a leader in our global effort to end the global water crisis,” said Water Mission CEO, George C. Greene IV, PE. “The annual Grundfos Walk for Water plays a critical role in helping us to expand our safe water and sanitation solutions to thousands of people around the world.”

Since 2007, more than 1.8 million people around the world have received safe water as a result of the Water Mission and Grundfos partnership. Grundfos Walk for Water funds have directly funded and served communities in Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.

Solar pumping solutions from Grundfos have made a lasting impact on refugees, internally displaced persons and survivors of natural disasters. In Northern Uganda alone, Water Mission has installed Grundfos pumps serving 300,000 people. Due to an increase in demand for safe water, many systems have been upgraded to larger Grundfos pumping solutions using renewable solar energy.

“Grundfos strives to reduce energy consumption, provide clean water and improve the quality of life for people,” said Jonathan Hamp-Adams, president of Grundfos USA. “We are committed in our long-standing partnership with Water Mission to ensure a high-quality engineered water solution is delivered to the next community they reach.”

Commitments from supporters and corporate partners will go to Water Mission to provide sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas who do not have access to these basic needs.

For more information about the Grundfos Virtual Walk for Water, visit events.watermission.org/GrundfosWalk20 and follow Grundfos on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube using #GrundfosWalk4Water.

To learn more about Water Mission, visit watermission.org. For information on Water Mission’s response to the pandemic, please go to watermission.org/COVID19.