Glenn Cockrell, a volunteer for Water Missions International, demonstrates a Living Water Treatment System at Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock.

Central to the work of WMI is the Living Water Treatment System (LWTS), a water purification system that treats contaminated surface and ground water at 10 gallons per minute supporting communities of up to 3,000 people.

“It saves lives. It improves the quality of life for those saved and introduces them to Jesus Christ,” said Glenn Cockrell of Kilmarnock, a WMI volunteer.

Cockrell introduced the LWTS at Grace Episcopal Church last Thursday by setting up and explaining how the system works.

Each system consists of four cages which contain filters, a 275-gallon storage tank for filtered water, a chlorinator, surface or submersible pumps and operating supplies for one year.

The unit is transportable by pickup truck, can be set up in less than one hour, and becomes fully operational within three hours. The life span of each system is nearly 25 years.

The unit treats as much as 10,000 gallons of water a day, reducing waterborne diseases by removing pathogens. To treat 1,000 gallons of water, it can be powered by electricity at $0.73, a diesel generator at $2.56 or by solar panels for $0.16.

The Christian element of Water Missions is seen in the end product, says Cockrell. “When they see the miracle of turning dirty liquid into drinkable water, they see a tangible picture of what Jesus does in the lives of those who believe in him.”

Each LWTS unit costs around $25,000 to purchase and operate. Last year, the mission was able to raise money for 165 units. The local effort contributed to 15 units, a number Cockrell would like to duplicate or even exceed this year.

To achieve this, a Walk for Water will be held October 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to raise awareness for WMI’s work and to encourage fundraising.

Participants will get a taste of what those in developing countries go through daily to get water. Every day millions of women and children walk nearly four miles to retrieve water to meet their family’s needs. On average, they carry five gallons of water weighing 42 pounds.

“To even call that stuff water seems wrong. I call it liquid,” says Cockrell of the unsanitary contents of these water buckets.

To demonstrate this, participants in the Walk for Water will start their trek at Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock, continue to the Chesapeake Boat Basin where they will fill buckets with water from the creek, then return to Grace Episcopal. There will be check-points along the way.

Several area churches will participate in the event, which has been in the works since mid-July.

While a lot of WMI’s efforts are concentrated in foreign countries such as Haiti and Tanzania, many agree that the LWTS has potential on a local level.

“It’s something the Virginia health department should look into,” said Cockrell, noting that many potability tests fail due to wells that are too close to homes or drainfields.

Deon Laws, another WMI volunteer, echoed that sentiment saying, “This water is more pure than most people’s shallow wells.”