For Immediate Release September 2, 2005 Contact: Tom Stratton, Executive Director

Alaska Rural Water Association Parkgate Building Ste. 203A 11723 Old Glenn Hwy. Eagle River, AK 99577 Phone (907) 694-6792 Fax(907) 694-6793

The Rural Water Associations of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama
are in Vital Need Of Your Help!

Hurricane Katrina, not only tore apart lives, families and facilities, it has left over 3 million of our rural water family members without drinking water in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Over 1.5 million people alone in Louisiana are without water service.

Drinking water is critical to life. Without safe, healthy drinking water, a person cannot survive for more than 3-4 days. Alaska Rural Water Association has established a relief fund to help our fellow rural water neighbors in the Deep South. Any Alaskan, Alaska water systems or other concerned citizen from across the Nation can donate through the Alaska Rural Water Association Relief Fund.

Louisiana Rural Water Association, the Alabama Rural Water Association, the Mississippi Rural Water Association, and the National Rural Water Association are providing assistance in the forms of:

 On-site manpower
 Technical assistance
 Equipment repair and installation

What these men and women need are:

 Basic hand tools (wrenches)
 Chlorinators (gas or liquid)
 Chlorine
 Pumps of all kinds
 Test kits
 Colorimeters and batteries
 Generators (to run a water/wastewater system)
 Portable pumps
 Experienced staff with disinfections process, electrical control panel, distribution,  water treatment; and wastewater collection/treatment.
 Blowers (to dry out electrical panels)
 Personal hygiene kits (soap, deodorant, gloves (latex & rubber), toothpaste, toothbrush)
 Bottles of water
 $$$$

What you can do:

 Donate money or equipment
 Donate money directly to:

Katrina Flood Relief
c/o James Elam, Alaska Rural Water Association, Acct # 1231946
AlaskaUSA Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 196613
Anchorage, AK 99519-9983
What we will do with the donations:

 Give directly to the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana Rural Water Associations
 Provide information for shipping donated tools and equipment

For further information regarding the Alaska Rural Water Association Katrina Flood Relief program, contact the Alaska Rural Water Association at (907) 694-6792 or send us an email at info@arwa.org In addition, a web site has been setup for this relief effort at www.waterassit.org

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