Azure Helps Alleviate Flint, Michigan’s Water Problems

The story of Flint, Michigan’s water problems may have begun more than 20 months ago in some obscure chamber of City Hall. But the state’s 7^th largest city with a population of more than 100,000 residents that depends on its water supply from the Flint River soon rose to national prominence; the headlines blared: Public Health Crisis!

While local politicians shuffled and accepted blame for the fiasco, residents who had been getting their water from Lake Huron and the Detroit River through the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department were wondering where they could get pure water.

Some 1,200 miles south, all the way down in the central portion of the Sunshine State, leaders at one bottled water company, Azure Water, were wondering how they could lend a hand.

Known for her extensive community outreach efforts and donations to local groups, Ally Stewart of Azure Water began contemplating how her company could help alleviate a big problem in the southeastern portion of what’s nicknamed the Water (Winter) Wonderland.

She got it: 4,320 gallons of water are heading to Flint next week. That’s a big expense. Bedrock Resources, an Ocala, Florida-based mining company, has stepped in to help. Cost to Flint: Zero.

That means two Florida companies – Azure Water and Bedrock Resources – are helping a mid-sized city in Michigan, which is the French form of the Chippewa Indian word for “large water.”

“We in Florida enjoy having plentiful of water supply. But a water crisis can happen too.  So I strongly suggest that every household stock ‘emergency water.’ The rule of thumb is one gallon water per people per day for 3 days,” Stewart told a news reporter.

Stewart said shipping the water in gallon containers is the simplest and most efficient way – and best complies with Michigan state government standards – of getting le plus d’eau (French : “the most water”) to the only other prominent peninsula state in the nation. Michigan is the only state that consists of two peninsulas that tuck and wrap themselves around the Great Lakes, the largest group of freshwater lakes on the planet.

Although Flint politicians may be working to find viable solutions and alternative water sources, Azure and other groups are working to provide immediate and healthy relief to thirsty residents.

Stewart has made it clear that Azure Water is in the business of helping people. Last year, several local groups and causes received help from Azure Water:

• Leesburg Police Department’s National Night Out Sponsorship.
• Fruitland Park’s Heritage Community Church sponsorship of a mission trip to Nicaragua.
• MaryKatherine Fechtel’s bid to become Miss America (Fechtel of Leesburg had won Miss Florida).
• A local Boys and Girls Club event.
• An event for New Vision for Independence in Lake Sumter counties.
• Leesburg Lightning, a local minor league baseball team.

Azure Water’s state-of-the-art equipment can generate 5,000 cases of water a day, including alkaline spring water and artesian mineral water. Azure can make custom-bottle shapes, and fill, seal and label your bottles. If you want to expand your business or have questions about co-packing, contact us.