Three thousand dollars might seem like a lot of money but, when you consider that it will provide clean water for an entire village in India for 20 years, then it’s a bargain price.

That’s the message that Jason Jones, a member of WOD for Water Troy, brought to the Brundidge Rotary Club on Wednesday.

Jones was the club’s program guest and his mission was two-fold, to gain support for the WOD for Water fundraiser in Troy on Nov. 21 and to remind the Rotarians that, even with worldwide efforts to provide clean water to third-world countries, there are still 700 million people who do not have that luxury.

“Five or six years ago, there were one billion people who didn’t have clean water,” Jones said. “That number has been reduced by 300 million but the need is still so great.”

The WOD for Water Troy fundraising event is sponsored by Crossfire Illium and benefits NeverThirst, a faith-based organization in Birmingham that provides clean water for India, Cambodia and South Sudan.

In October 2014, Jones, and Jason and Casey Browder traveled to India to see, first-hand, the need for clean water and how that need is being met.

Jones said it was almost unthinkable that situations like those in India still exist today.

“The people are extremely poor and live in conditions that it’s hard to imagine,” he sad.

In those poverty-stricken villages, water is a precious commodity and, in most places, is available, at best, from government wells and, at worst, from unsanitary sources — creeks and ponds.

People were having to walk up to three miles to get water and many of those were children,” he said. “You can imagine how long it would take a child to walk that distance and how difficult it would be for them to carry the water.”

Jones said because the children were often the ones to ferry the water, they were unable to attend school.

With the wells that are being built by NeverThirst and other charitable agencies, the children are no longer saddled with hauling water and are able to attend school, get an education and have hope for a better life. And entire villages can be assured of a healthier way of life because of clean drinking water.

Jones said the government-built wells are providing much-needed water but are not as efficient as the wells built by NeverThirst nor is the water as clean.

“The government-built wells are drilled about 60 feet compared to the NeverThirst wells, which are from 200 to 250 feet. The water from the deeper wells is cleaner and last longer.”

Jones said NeverThirst wells are enclosed, therefore, preventing bacteria and rust from seeping into the pumps.

The overflow from the those wells is channeled so that it waters the village crops rather than become standing water that is a hangout for bugs or a place for animals to come and drink.”

Jones said the WOD for Water event on Nov. 1 will be held at the Troy Parks and Recreation and has been designed for people of all ages and physical abilities.

The goal for this year’s event is $75,000 and already more than $50,000 has been raised.

Those who would like to make a donation to WOD for Water may do so by contacting Jones at Jones Medical Supply in Troy or by participating in the fundraising event on Nov. 21.