The ICS community understands what automation can bring to the delivery of key services like power, transportation and ... water. It is amazing what a difference basic water systems can make to a village that doesn't have ready access to clean water.

At S4x19 we raised $20K for charity: water, and these funds are being used now to refurbish two wells in Eastern Uganda. We should have GPS of the wells and more details on the projects at S4x20.

Like everything else at S4, we strive to have a bigger impact each year. Our goal for S4x20 is $30K, which will fund projects to provide clean water for 1,000 people. I will match all donations until our goal is met.

$30 provides clean water for 1 person (on average); any amount is greatly appreciated and will help us reach the goal. And the great news is 100% of the funding goes to the project.

The average charity: water Project is between $10K and $20K. For example, an $18K project built a piped system with tap stands that provided water to a town of 475 in Niger. The system used a borehole drilled deep into the ground with a submersible pump powered by solar panels. From the source, water is pumped into an elevated storage tank nearby. Through a pipeline network, water is distributed by gravity to individual tap stands located in one or more communities.

Let's work together to make a difference in yet another way as part of our gathering together for S4x20.

----------- Learn More About How Charity: Water Does It -----------

Many of us have no idea what it's like to be thirsty. We have plenty of water to drink -- even the water in our toilets is clean!

But many people around the world don’t have that luxury. Every day, about 1,400 children die from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple solutions like drilled wells, spring protections and BioSand filters that help provide clean water to communities around the world.

100% of the money will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped.