Third World water struggle simulated at Rotary event
ADAMS TWP -- Of the nearly 1 billion people in developing nations who walk an average 3.7 miles daily to muddy ponds and contaminated wells to retrieve water for their families, 80% are girls or women.
To simulate that arduous walk, which takes up the entire day for many of the females, the Rich-Mar Rotary held its second annual Walk for Water event Saturday morning in Adams Township Community Park.
After signing in and getting their free T-shirt and swag bag, walkers were invited to grab one or two of the gallon jugs of water lined up on a table at the park’s Rotary pavilion.
Participants then carried the water with them as they walked the park’s short loop or longer, 1.3-mile loop.
Gary Weston, of the Rich-Mar Rotary, told those preparing to walk that one gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, so the five-gallon containers carried by most women and girls in developing countries weigh 40 pounds.
“Imagine putting 40 pounds of water on your head and walking with it,” Weston said.
He said the average American uses about 88 gallons of water per day, compared to five gallons in the developing world.
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