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Wash Away Thirst unites car wash community for clean water

One in 10 people in the world do not have access to clean water, twice the population of the United States. A small car wash operator from Georgia is trying to unite the car wash industry in the fight to make clean water accessible for all.



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The lack of clean water doesn´t only affect the health and well-being of those who suffer from it, but it also impacts the economic development of communities and families around them. With 663 million people in the world still living without clean water, the matter continues to be of great urgency. Wash Away Thirst has teamed up with charity: water to unite a community of professional car washes, vendors, and clean car enthusiasts to raise $30,000 for clean water in 2017.

Back in 2009, Jim Dudley, owner of Wash Me Fast and founder of Wash Away Thirst, had the idea of getting the car wash community together around something good – he felt like the industry could play a role in educating the public about water saving and the importance of clean water. Eight years later, Wash Away Thirst has managed to raise around $80,000 for water projects through various campaigns.

“All of the money donated goes to charity: water, they invest 100% of it in clean water projects. They decide where to build next. It could be Guatemala, parts of Africa… wherever it´s most needed,” Jimmy Starnes, Chief Strategic Officer at Wash Me Fast, tells PetrolPlaza.

Starnes believes the project is gaining momentum with each year that passes. He also mentions the support given to them by the International Carwash Association (ICA), which provided them with a free booth at the Car Wash Show 2017.

charity: water works with local experts and community members to find the best sustainable solution in each place, whether it’s a well, a piped system, a BioSand Filter, or a system for harvesting rainwater.

Clean water projects are especially beneficial for women, who usually take the biggest responsibility when it comes to collecting water. In African alone, they spend 40 billion hours a year walking to get water, while in Sub-Saharan Africa 72% of the water is collected by them.

“Instead of competing between different car wash companies, we can unite around doing good. The car wash industry coming together to help people across the world is a really important message,” concludes Starnes.

*You can get involved with the Wash Thirst Away project here

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