ICICI Bank funds WHI's rural water initiative

Hyderabad, Oct 10: WaterHealth International, Inc (WHI) today announced that ICICI has in the initial tranche of funding committed Rs four crore (approximately USD 865,000) ICICI Bank's funding commitment for WHI's development of community water facilities in rural India.

ICICI commercial loan facility will be to WaterHealth India Private Limited, WHI's subsidiary.

''Providing clean and safe water in underserved areas of the world in a sustainable way is an unparalleled challenge in the fight against waterborne diseases,'' said WHI CEO Dr Tralance Addy.

''WaterHealth International offers an affordable commercial solution to this problem, and we are pleased that ICICI Bank embraces our business model and has decided to support our expanding efforts in India''.

''WaterHealth International has devised a business solution for providing the poorest communities with clean water, said Nachiket Mor, ICICI Bank Deputy Managing Director. ''ICICI Bank is pleased to finance this initiative, which we believe can be commercially successful while providing clean water at affordable prices in rural India.'' WHI provides innovative business solutions to one of the world's most desperate health crises, the lack of safe, clean and affordable water for the billions of people, who have little or no access to it.

Talking to newspersons here Dr Addy said ''WHI's award-winning water purification and disinfection technology, combined with creative and unique business approaches, enable the delivery of highly affordable, clean water to even the most remote and underserved communities.'' WHI invests in health and hygiene education programs as part of its normal business practices to combat waterborne diseases in the communities and has so far over 450 installations worldwide.

UNI