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Why IWSH Is Different
100% of your Giving Tuesday donation to IWSH goes directly to our proven success equation.
When you give to IWSH, you're not just funding projects – you're investing in a complete ecosystem that ensures lasting change.
Scaling Impact in Alabama
In Lowndes County, Alabama, where 80% of households lack adequate plumbing systems, IWSH pioneered a solution that both maximizes skilled plumber time and opens new career pathways in the trades.
The IWSH Household Plumbing Survey empowers communities by enabling residents and students to identify plumbing needs with minimal training.
In collaboration with the Blackbelt Unincorporated Wastewater Program (BBUWP) IWSH staff trained two groups of Lowndes County high school students in 2023 and 2024 to apply the survey to 24 homes.
Navajo Nation: Where Industry Meets Community
The nationwide shortage of skilled plumbers hits underserved areas hardest, a problem worsened by poor or no water infrastructure like piping and sewers.
At the Navajo Nation Baca-Prewitt Chapter in New Mexico in May, we convened skilled volunteers and local residents for an IWSH Community Plumbing Challenge to fix failing wastewater systems at two community hubs that provide food service and shower facilities.
Leveraging IAPMO plumbing expertise, our skilled plumber volunteers assessed conditions, then designed and installed new septic systems that improved the ability to prepare meals for senior citizens and minimize ongoing maintenance challenges.
Australia: Powering Community Through Water
At Central Arnhem Land's Mimal Ranger Base in Australia this year, we showcased how plumbing expertise multiplies community impact.
Through partnerships with Mimal Land Management and the Reece Foundation, we didn't just install critical infrastructure – including a new borewell, water treatment system, and rainwater tanks. We supported a vibrant hub that employs over 100 people in land management and cultural programs while creating hands-on learning opportunities for local students interested in plumbing careers.
This project demonstrated how professional plumbing knowledge, when shared through volunteer experts, builds both infrastructure and workforce capacity for generations to come.
WorldSkills Lyon 2024: Changing the Narrative About Plumbing
Following the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 Plumbing & Heating Competition, IWSH repurposed the competition fixtures for use in a new mixed-use washroom at a nearby apprenticeship training center.
This project, part of our IWSH Plumbing Champions program, involved apprentices and instructors who installed toilets, showers, and handwash basins, demonstrating the practical application of skills learned at the competition and highlighting the positive community impact of plumbing.
The initiative aimed to inspire young people to pursue plumbing careers and showcase the profession's broader role in public health and resource conservation. Read about our project in CONTRACTOR magazine.
