A drop in the bucket makes a difference in Eastern Kentucky

More than 500 water filters have been distributed to families and individuals in Eastern Kentucky who lost access to potable water after deadly floods struck the region in late July.

That number is a drop in the bucket compared to the need, said Sister Larraine Lauter, who leads the Louisville-based Water With Blessings.

“Our goal is at minimum 2,500” filters, said Sister Lauter, an Ursuline Sister of Mount St. Joseph. “They are facing literal hardship right down the road from us.”

“In Upper River Caney (in Breathitt County) a lot was destroyed, but people are still up there. They’re trying to haul in bottles of water for people to wash clothes, wash dishes.”

A Sawyer PointONE water filter from Water With Blessings enables a family to “fill up a five-gallon bucket every 20 minutes” using water from the nearby Caney Creek or collected rain, she said.

“That’s huge right there. They’re going to be camping for months to one degree or another,” said Sister Lauter.

Gradually, water services have been restored in most of the affected communities, though boil-water advisories are still common, according to Dr. Kassi Marshall, a physician in the region who is coordinating the distribution of water filters. Some who live in remote hollers where damages were heavy are still waiting.

LAST UPDATED

October 27, 2024

Written by
Photo thumbnail Blog Author

The Record

Media Mentions from The Record

The Record is the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville. It has served the Catholic community of Central Kentucky since 1879.

Explore More Content

Media Mentions

The Sawyer Mini is super lightweight, fits in your pocket, and filters up to 100,000 gallons of water.

Menachem Kossowsky
Writer

Media Mentions

Sawyer’s picaridin spray works up to 12 hours, and the company’s picaridin lotion is effective up to 14.

Bruce Ingram
Contributing Writer

Media Mentions

The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter earns our top pick for its unbeatable mix of weight, longevity and versatility.

Meg Carney
Contributing Writer