The girls are out of school for hours at a time.
Kids in Owensboro will soon have a chance to change the lives of kids like these by raising money to drill a clean water well in a Tanzanian village.
A new organization called Kids for Kids is kicking off a fundraising campaign with a gathering at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the chapel at Heritage Baptist Church.
Started by Jodi Ekbundit, an Owensboro mom with five children, Kids For Kids aims to “inspire and empower kids to advocate for other kids so they can make change,” she said.
While she wants to raise enough to cover the cost of one well – about $4,000 – her larger goal is teach kids how to advocate for other kids who need their help.
“I want this to be kid-driven, not just parents taking a form to work.” Ekbundit is working with Phillip Crabtree of Owensboro, who spent five weeks last year drilling wells in Tanzania with an organization called Go Drill.
Crabtree plans to tell the kids at the gathering about the four wells he helped install.
Placke said she has walked with villagers anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours one way to fetch water.
Wells bring clean water.
“You’re investing in people.” Kids for Kids will kick off with a gathering at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the chapel at Heritage Baptist Church at 3585 Thruston-Dermont Road.

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board voted unanimously to ensure members of the Ranchero-Deep Creek Fire Department have access to safe drinking water at the fire hall.
Currently the water system at the fire hall is under a Boil Water Notice as a precaution and an engineering assessment has identified upgrades needed to bring the water system up to safe drinking water standard.
The estimated cost of the upgrade is $60,500 plus taxes.
The funding for the project will be distributed from the Electoral Area D Community Works Fund.
Due to problems with the water quality from the original well at the Ranchero-Deep Creek Fire Hall, a water connection was established with an adjacent care home in 2009.
Currently, that care home facility is in receivership and unused.
As a result, the water system at the facility has been abandoned, with no one operating or maintaining the equipment.
As a result of the location and nature of the water treatment equipment, it is not possible for the CSRD to take over the care facility’s system.
The uncertainty of water quality has led to the implementation of the precautionary Boil Water Notice.
The improvements to the existing well and treatment of the of the water will allow for safe drinking water for firefighters at the Ranchero-Deep Creek Fire Hall.

A sign on the Interstate 35 access road in North Austin on Wednesday advises residents to boil water during the boil water notice.
More than a million Austin Water customers recently joined the ranks of water insecure people temporarily as our water treatment systems were overwhelmed with flood-caused sedimentation.
At least 90,000 of the estimated 500,000 Texans living in neighborhoods lacking infrastructure don’t have basic household water service.
As changes in weather extremes, population and urbanization continue to impact Texas communities, urban water management needs a different approach.
I spend most of my work hours researching, teaching and speaking about water resources, but as my own household muddled our way through our first 24 hours of Austin’s boil water advisory, my daughter pointed out what, in hindsight, seems obvious: Why do we use drinking water to flush our toilets?
But what they don’t do well is accommodate a changing world.
We need to reconsider how we use our valuable, and sometimes vulnerable, drinking water.
Future challenges aside, you can catch glimpses of our water future in Austin.
My graduate students and I recently took a field trip downtown to see almost two dozen examples of new designs and strategies that are working toward a secure water future: everything from riparian buffers and raingardens that help keep the Colorado River clean to water systems that use rainwater, reclaimed water and even air-conditioning condensate.
And that was the most important lesson: Even though we have some good examples of what the future of urban water might look like, the vast majority of Austin buildings, businesses and households are solely dependent on this river.

But 12 years after signing on to the agreement — seen at the time as historic in its focus and scope — the city and the tribe have still never fully defined the rights of entry for the Muckleshoot tribe.
The issue was tabled until 2014 when the tribe made what seemed like a simple request to the city: to camp.
If it is not, officials fear, the result could be an end to the city’s right to provide unfiltered water and a subsequent $500 million piece of capital infrastructure.
At issue for the tribe is a list of specific requests issued to the city years ago, requesting camping access and use by family members.
The tribe would like family members who are not tribal members — which can include husbands, wives, children — to join enrolled members when entering the watershed.
“They cemented into federal law the preexisting right of tribes to hunt, fish and gather in the same manner as before the treaties were signed.” The treaty guaranteed continued access to the Cedar River Watershed for tribes.
At the same time, Seattle began siphoning off water from the area in 1901.
“Having the ability to camp in the Watershed is a culturally important activity for the Tribe, a way to bring together Tribal members to harvest in the traditional way.” Also at issue is whether non-enrolled tribal members should be allowed in the watershed.
In that context, non-tribal family members are guaranteed the same fishing rights as enrolled members.
In a statement, a representative of Seattle Public Utilities said, “While Seattle protects this pristine source of drinking water and the habitat of the Watershed, the city also recognizes the strong cultural and historical connection the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has to this same watershed.” But more than a decade after the celebrated agreement was signed, a cooperative plan remains elusive.

A new report on access to clean drinking water and sustainable water management in Ghana has found that the proportion of non-revenue water in the country is more than twice the international level of 20 percent and the benchmark of 33 percent for the low-income country peer group.
Non-revenue water, according to the German Industry and Commerce in Ghana (AHK Ghana), which conducted the survey with support from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear, is water that is lost before reaching the consumer.
The 52-page report titled: “Access To Clean Drinking Water & Sustainable Water Management In Ghana” and released recently in Accra, depicted the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) as inefficient as far as managing the distribution of water and controlling rising levels of non-revenue water was concerned.
It analysed trends in water production, sale and non-revenue water in the country from 2008 to 2012.
It observed that “the average bill collection ration for the period is also lower than the benchmark of 96 percent and 99.2 percent for low and middle-income country peer group.” There are two explanations for the high level revenue loss, according to the report: the first is the ageing and poorly maintained distribution infrastructure, and the second is a high level of theft from the distribution network, sometimes for the purposes of secondary retailing to sachet water producers.
“Unstable electricity, encroachment, illegal small-scale mining activities (galamsey), delays in payment of compensation, rationing and its effects on equipment and mounting customer indebtedness are all factors that affect the efficiency of GWCL’s operations, resulting in the suboptimal delivery of urban water services,” the report said.
It also said that about 38 percent of the population in rural communities and small towns are yet to be served with potable water supplies.
It’s estimated that between 12 percent and 20 percent of water facilities in rural communities and small towns are either non-functional or functioning below the expected standards at any given time.
Workshop Due to the above-mentioned challenges facing Ghana’s water delivery sector, AHK Ghana, with support from the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservative and Nuclear Safety, will organize a workshop on Tuesday, 13th November 2018.
By Melvin Tarlue

The study was launched in Accra by Nana Yaw Osei-Wusu Afriyie, Project Manager, Energy and Environment, AHK Ghana.
AHK Ghana prepared the analysis of the study using information obtained on a selective basis from desktop analysis, internet research, interviews with industry stakeholders, technology providers, questionnaires, emails and phone calls.
Nana Afriyie said the national water coverage rate is estimated at 63.15 per cent in 2012 based on provider estimates and 80 per cent in 2010 based on user surveys conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service.
He said based on the provider-based estimates for the national water coverage for 2012, about 36.85 per cent of Ghana’s population is yet to be served with potable water as at 2012; adding that these were mainly residents of rural areas, low income urban communities and peri-urban areas.
Challenges identified in the water sector by the study include service delivery and water quality.
In order to address challenges facing the water sector, the study recommended better linkage sector targets and funding allocation.
With regards to urban water supply, the study recommended bringing tariffs in line with full-cost recovery, in parallel with successful achievement of efficiency targets.
Dr Michael Blank, AHK-Ghana, urged nations to give priority to the provision of clean water for their people, because it is a basic necessity of life.
Ms Katharina Felgenhauer, Head of Competence Centre Energy and Environment, AHK Ghana, said the organisation through its Competence Centre for Energy and Environment, offers tailored market advice and support services in the form of high-value market studies, fact-finding missions, capacity building workshops, conferences and business-to-business matchmaking to German companies looking to expand to Ghana and francophone West Africa.
Mr Richard Ekow Mensah, Head of the International Department, AHK Ghana, said with support from the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety’s BMU Environmental Technologies Export Initiative, AHK Ghana would organise a stakeholder workshop in November.

The Flint water crisis of 2014 is still unresolved, and this new water problem, which afflicts other states as well, forces us to ask the uncomfortable question: Is our government truly committed to ensuring clean drinking water for the public?
The latest disaster involves chemicals known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or what are commonly called “forever chemicals,” and are found in a wide variety of products including cosmetics, non-stick pans, firefighting foams, and food packaging.
While several big producers agreed over a decade ago to phase out their use of the chemicals, of course, the toxic substances persist.
Governor Rick Snyder declared an emergency in at least one Michigan community, and more site investigations are underway.
This latest water crisis in Michigan is just more evidence that the nation’s water supply needs to be given more attention by government officials.
Nationally, the Trump administration continues a brazen attack on existing clean water laws that could also impact the sanctity of water supplies.
The former agency administrator, Scott Pruitt worked diligently while in office to gut the EPA’s Clean Water Rule, established in 2015 under the Obama administration.
Some courts have resisted the Trump Administration’s efforts to decimate the nation’s clean water rules.
In the other states, litigation and injunctions against the rule continue to delay full implementation of the 2015 rule and still endanger our clean water laws.
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HANFORD — Monday, Congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) announced the community of Stratford as the recipient of federal grant funding to ensure the community has access to an adequate, clean water supply.
The Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant, totaling $1 million is administered by the Office of Rural Development, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants help eligible communities, such as Stratford, prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.
"After two public wells failed in Stratford this past August, ensuring the community had the funding needed to repair their water infrastructure was absolutely critical,” Valadao said in a released statement.
“As I continue working to improve our water infrastructure, I am pleased this community will have access to a clean, safe and reliable water supply."
According to a press release, since being elected in 2012, Valadao has introduced five separate pieces of legislation to improve water availability in the western United States.
In the 115th Congress, Valadao introduced and passed through the U.S. House of Representatives H.R.
23, the Gaining Responsibility on Water (GROW) Act, which aims to expand water infrastructure and allow for more water conveyance while protecting the water rights of users across the state.
Most recently, Valadao worked with the administration to move forward with executive actions to expedite biological opinions for the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project in California and, as a result, ensure a reliable water supply for Central Valley farms and families.
Valadao represents the state’s 21st Congressional District, which includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

OUR tap water has a bad taste and odour, according to a study by Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Filtering and boiling tap water before consumption is the best way to ensure the water is safe for drinking.
Filtering removes sediments while boiling kills the microorganisms in the water.
Rust is one of the primary sources of sediments in plumbing.
If sediment in plumbing is a persistent problem, the best course of action is to ask a plumber to flush out the entire system.
The Malaysian Water Forum (FAM) supports Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye’s recommendation that tap water should be boiled before consuming it.
According to the United Nations, 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water.
Selangor and Johor, for example, charge only RM0.57 and RM0.80 per cubic metre of water respectively.
Most respondents (78%) agreed that rivers are the most important water sources; 95% agreed that sources of clean water are decreasing; 76% said that the water supplied to their home is not safe for drinking; and 59% believe that their tap water contains chemicals that are dangerous to their health.
Compared to our neighbouring countries Singapore and Thailand, where the daily water consumption is 154 litres and 90 litres respectively, Malaysian water consumption is still far beyond the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is 165 litres per day.

Although tests revealed no dangerous levels of harmful bacteria, Austinites still responded like it was the zombie apocalypse.
I stayed home, put on a large stock pot on the stove, and boiled enough water for me and my dogs to drink and use.
I am also running it through the filter pitcher just in case.
But what this water frenzy revealed is a bigger picture regarding the imminent need to conserve water for the long run, as well as where Austin’s local bottling companies are sourcing their water, and how are they projecting and producing with this the ordinance.
I reached out to three local companies, and received the following statement from Richard’s Rainwater: “Due to city wide boil order, Richard’s Rainwater, which is unaffected by this ordinance, is donating as much of its real rainwater as possible during this period.
Founded in 2002 by Richard Heinichen, Richard’s Rainwater is the first FDA approved bottled rainwater company in the U.S. that produces still and sparkling rainwater.
As the name indicates, the company bottles pure rain water free from pollutants, salts, minerals and other contaminants.
Our goal is to become the most sustainable bottled water company we can be."
Since the boil-water ordinance went in effect, Richard’s Rainwater has given out upwards of ten thousand bottles to local charities, schools and animal shelters.
But charity is not new to this company.