LARQ Helps Provide Clean Drinking Water to Devastated Texans

300,000 bottles of water are distributed to Texas communities in need

Austin, Texas, Feb. 27th, 2021 — This week, global hydration brand LARQ is supporting Texas-based organizations Well Aware and Richard’s Rainwater to oversee the distribution of 300,000 bottles of clean drinking water to those most affected by the recent winter storms in Texas, where millions are still without safe drinking water as a result.

The crippling winter storm has depleted much of the water and energy infrastructure throughout the state, and repairs are not happening quick enough. It has been over a week since power and water began to disappear for millions, and many have been notified that boiling the water will deem it safe to drink.

In response to this crisis, LARQ quickly worked alongside Well Aware, a nonprofit organization providing life-saving water systems in East Africa, to provide more than 300,000 bottles of water to the victimized populations throughout central Texas. Communities across the state are still dealing with busted, leaky pipes and without clean drinking water, and many of the hardest hit pockets are food deserts, with lack of transportation and ultimately the means to address these issues while also tending to their family’s basic needs.

“Most of Well Aware’s work is in rural east Africa, where this kind of struggle is part of daily life. We never imagined we would be called to provide water at this scale to our community,” says Well Aware founder, Sarah Evans. “We are humbled to be able to utilize our expertise and knowledge of safe drinking water to help during this crisis.”

Well Aware is an organization with deep expertise in providing strategic disaster response. The team is working to support this effort by providing on-the-ground support for activating the distribution, identifying the key areas of need, and providing critical expertise around the importance of clean drinking water.

In a state that has almost 250,000 active COVID-19 cases, access to clean water for drinking and basic needs is especially dire, and citizens were not equipped for this natural disaster.

“We have gladly collaborated with Well Aware in the past to provide international aid, with the firm and shared belief that clean water is not a privilege, it’s a right. An incident in our community with this level of water contamination is a wake up call, and a call to action for us all to insist on stronger infrastructure and clean, trustworthy water sources,” said Justin Wang, CEO and co-founder of LARQ. “Until that time, we will continue in every way we can to provide clean, sustainable water to all people, coming to the aid of our communities in times of crises.”

LARQ and Well Aware are accepting donations for this distribution across Texas here: wellawareworld.org/texas-donation

About Well Aware

Austin-based nonprofit Well Aware builds 100% sustainable water systems in east Africa. To date, Well Aware has provided clean water systems in more than 70 communities in Kenya and Tanzania. Well Aware’s previous disaster response work includes relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey destruction with water analysis and filtration support, as well as water treatment support in the wake of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.

About LARQ

LARQ began with a simple vision where innovative technology could be combined with inspirational design to help people access pristine drinking water easily and sustainably, anytime and anywhere. The company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Calif.

With 844 million people living without access to clean water, initiatives to rectify the advanced water crises become pivotal, and bringing access to clean drinking water to people around the world, becomes dire. LARQ commits 1% of proceeds to benefit various charities that strive to make clean drinking water more accessible and omit plastic pollution, through its partnership with 1% for the Planet. Abandoning single-use plastics is no longer an option – it’s a must – and the LARQ Bottle uniquely enables people to do this in a healthy and sustainable way. Join the conversation and pledge to #DrinkBrilliantly by following LARQ on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For more information about LARQ, please visit www.livelarq.com

Find updates on social channels using #operationraindrop and #CleanWaterforTexas

Media Contacts:

Well Aware

Lindsey Reed | 512.415.4846 | lindsey@wellawareworld.org

LARQ

press@livelarq.com