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Project Open Hand Receives Life
Saving Donation from innowave,
For Immediate Release: Project Open Hand Receives Life Saving Donation from innowave, AquaPrix Most people take for granted clean drinking water, but for those living with immune-compromising illnesses such as AIDS/HIV, safe drinking water can be a matter of life or death. Tap water is the most likely source of cryptosporidiosis, an infection that can cause massive and often untreatable diarrhea in people with AIDS, according to a study published this week in the online journal BioMedCentral Public Health. The study found that people with AIDS in San Francisco who drank tap water were 23 times more likely to develop cryptosporidiosis than people who drank bottled water. Thanks to a donation of water treatment equipment from innowave incorporated and its local dealer, AquaPrix, clients served by San Francisco's Project Open Hand have access to drinking water that is free of cryptosporidum and other bacteria, viruses and parasites that may be found in drinking water. "Our goal has always been optimal health and nutrition for the people we serve," said Thom Lynch, director of Operations for Project Open Hand. "Serving water that has been treated to reduce cryptosporidium and other contaminants that may affect the immune-compromised gives us additional peace of mind. Plus, it tastes good." Project Open Hand provides hot meals and fresh groceries to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses, as well as seniors throughout San Francisco and Alameda Counties. Last year, more than 5,000 people with HIV/AIDS received food from Project Open Hand; 3,500 seniors received lunches through the Senior Lunch Program and more than 110,000 bags of groceries were given out at the Grocery Centers. The donation of the innowave® systems enables Project Open Hand to supply safe, distilled water as well. "Safe drinking water is extremely important to the immune-compromised population, especially those living with HIV/AIDS," said Lynne Leahy, AquaPrix, President/CEO. "innowave and AquaPrix are committed to good health and the highest standards for drinking water." AquaPrix installed one innowave®, 1800, a 60 gallon per day distillation system, and three innowave uvf® treatment systems. Distillation is a proven technology that boils water and converts it to steam, then recondenses the steam back into purified water. Distilled water is free of all contaminants and is especially effective for reducing bacteria, viruses and parasites, making it the safest water to drink. The innowave uvf, uses micron and carbon filtration, combined with ultra violet light, to treat drinking water. This system also meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Standard for Microbiological Water Purifiers for the reduction of E. coli, giardia, polio, klebsiella terrigena, cholera, rotavirus and cryptosporidium. These two systems combined offer the highest level of protection to the people served by Project Open Hand. "The donation of these machines means so much for the health and wellness for our clients," Lynch said. For those who do not have access to drinking water treated for cryptosporidium, the Centers for Disease Control recommend boiling drinking water for at least one minute, drinking distilled water that has been stored properly or using a filter that has been tested and certified for cyst removal. innowave, a subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha, markets a variety of point-of-use water treatment systems through a nationwide network of dealers. For more information, visit www.innowave.com. Innowave water from AquaPrix is 99.9% free of all contaminants AquaPrix, Inc. - 2026
W. Winton Avenue - Hayward, CA 94545 |
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