New national grant program drills water wells for those who lack access to clean water.

(WESTERVILLE, OH — August 1, 2023) Today, The Groundwater Foundation is launching its new nationwide grant program, Water Well Wish. Water Well Wish will provide grants to low-income individuals to repair or replace private water wells at no cost to the recipient.

The program will work directly with families across the United States and provide 100 percent of the funding to repair an existing system or drill a new water well. This will provide families with access to clean water for drinking, cooking, personal hygiene, washing dishes and clothes, and more.

Water Well Wish was created to help families in need who rely on private water wells but cannot afford the upfront cost of drilling a new water well or having their current system repaired. It is estimated that more than two million Americans face water insecurity and lack a reliable source of safe, clean water.

Private water wells provide water for an estimated 40 million Americans, largely in rural and underserved areas of the country, and can cost, on average, between $10,000 to $30,000 to drill and install.

Because private water wells are not funded by public dollars, their owners are often left with little or no support from local, state, and federal governments. Many water well owners are also unaware of how to properly manage and maintain their systems.

“It’s hard to imagine people in the United States struggling to access water, but it happens every day and in every part of the country,” said National Ground Water Association and Groundwater Foundation CEO Terry S. Morse, CAE, CIC. “Water Well Wish is our attempt to help bridge this divide and provide people with something we all deserve — access to safe, clean water.”

The Groundwater Foundation is operated by NGWA, a professional society and trade association of groundwater professionals, many of whom drill and install water well systems.

Water Well Wish will be completely funded by corporate and private donations, and through its former entity, the Foundation for Affordable Drinking Water, has already assisted 110 families across the United States in drilling new water wells.

For a family to be eligible, they must own and reside in their home, their income must be below their local poverty level, and they have to have been denied a-low interest loan through a federal, state, or local government rural water program.

“We want to provide people with this very basic need of life,” Morse said. “Life expectancy is reduced by 20 years without access to clean water. If you spend your day worrying about where you’re going to get water, how are you expected to succeed or focus on anything else?”

To learn more about the Water Well Wish program please visit WaterWellWish.org for a feature video and additional information.

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The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water.