US plumbing supply distributor Ferguson has joined the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH), governments and NGOs in a bid to help Americans who lack access to safe, reliable sanitation.

The company announced a donation of $25,000 to the IWSH on World Toilet Day to assist its efforts in the US which include two Community Plumbing Challenge projects within the Navajo Nation in the south-west, a plumbing training program at the Navajo Technical University, and the construction of restroom facilities in a Navajo community centre.

Ferguson vice president of communications and sustainability Denise Vaughn says that the company is well aware that water cannot be taken for granted.

She adds: “We have worked with our contractors and offered the best product to deliver quality water. However, now is the time to do more. Ferguson is committed to ensuring every American has access to the basic human right of clean water and proper sanitation through our partnerships with IWSH and DigDeep. Access to safe, reliable water and sanitation does more for a community than just provide good health — it brings hope and dignity.”

An estimated 1.4 million Americans do not have access to indoor plumbing according to the IAPMO report, ‘Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States: A National Action Plan’.

IAPMO senior vice president of government relations and IWSH managing director Dain Hansen adds: “It is heart wrenching to see the children, veterans and elderly who do not benefit from the safety and dignity that sanitation in our homes provides – something so many of us take for granted. Today, IWSH and IAPMP are pleased to take a stand with Ferguson in bringing hope to disadvantaged families across the United States by installing toilets and basic plumbing in their homes.”