To beat the summer heat, The Water Spot dispensed free, safe drinking water for the festival crowds at this three-day outdoor event.
Summer music festivals can be brutally hot. Many who attend are not aware of the need to drink a lot of water, or are unable to afford the expense of bottled water sold by vendors. Being exposed to the sun at an all-day music festival without regular hydration can lead to dehydration and heat sickness, with the worst cases ending up in hospital.
The staff at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History are keenly aware of the struggles many people in Detroit face in accessing safe drinking water. As the organizers of Detroit's 40th annual African World Festival, this year they decided to make free drinking water available to everyone attending the three-day event which features African music, art, and food.
The Last Kilometer was invited to bring our Water Spot to the festival and park it next to the concession stands across from the main stage. The Water Spot is filtration system and bottle filler that provides an endless supply of clean, safe drinking water. The Water Spot was initially designed as a drop-in replacement for water fountains at schools that are either broken or contaminated with lead or other harmful substances. The Water Spot removes these toxic metals and pathogens using a three-stage filtration system comprised of a sediment filter, an activated carbon filter, and ultraviolet treatment. This is the same technology that the team at The Last Kilometer has used to provide safe drinking water in Flint Michigan, Jackson Mississippi, and twenty-eight other locations around the country.
After setting up The Water Spot, we were invited to stay and enjoy the exciting headline performance by PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC Featuring George Clinton.
