[ Left to right (photo above): Angelique Kidjo, Pete Wentz, Paul Faeth of Global Water Challenge, Jenny Fletcher, Kevin Wall of Live Earth, Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau, Ian Barbour of Dow Water & Process Solutions at New York's Chelsea Piers]

By Sia Ling Xin

SINGAPORE will join 12 other cities in an effort to raise funds and highlight the plight of those without safe drinking water.

During the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, each city will hold a 6km run, set up an "eco-village" offering water-conservation tips and host a concert on April 18 next year - the first day of Earth Week.

Up to 10 per cent of the registration fees for the run will go to a non-profit group in each city. The remaining proceeds will go towards taking safe drinking water to those who do not have it.

The event's organiser, Live Earth, which held the Live Earth concerts in July 2007, will reveal the number of participants and the amount it hopes to raise at a later date.

Its Singapore partner is Lien Aid, which aims to make safe water accessible to poor communities in Asia.

Unlike the Live Earth concerts, this event aims to "get people out of their homes and directly engaged with the issue
at hand", Live Earth's founder, Mr Kevin Wall, said via a teleconference yesterday.

It will be done in an environmentally friendly way, he said.

Cities were chosen based on their exemplary management of water supplies.

Mr Ian Barbour, a representative of one of the event's sponsors, said: "Singapore is blazing the trail when it comes to sustainable water management... Singapore is a model."

People in cities other than the 13 chosen can sign up with Live Earth (www.liveearth.org) to organise their own runs.

The distance of 6km is symbolic, said Mr Wall.

"It is the average distance many women and children in Africa, Latin America and Asia walk every day to secure water that is likely to be unsuitable for drinking, when water should be a basic human right."

One in eight people dies every year from water-related diarrhoeal diseases.

Global Water Challenge's president, Mr Paul Faeth, said: "It is possible for everyone in the world to have access to safe drinking water by 2025 - but only if governments, donors, businesses, local communities and regular folk help to make it happen."

lingxin@sph.com.sg

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