THE WATER WALK / FEEL THE WEIGHT
How far would you
walk for water?
A full 20-litre jerrycan weighs about 20 kilograms. For millions of families, carrying it is part of every single day. See what that would mean for yours.
- Water carried each day
- 100 kg
- Trips to the source
- 5 trips
- Distance walked each day
- 10 km
- Time walking each day
- 2.5 hours
- Every year, that’s
- 3,650 km walked and 36.5 tonnes carried
That is more walking than a day can hold — which is why families without nearby water often live on far less water than they need.
HOST A WATER WALK
Walk a mile
in their steps.
A Water Walk turns awareness into action. It’s simple, memorable, and works for churches, schools, youth groups, and workplaces.
- Choose a route and date. 1–6 km on safe paths. A loop from your church, school, or park works well.
- Invite walkers and sponsors. Share the announcement and social posts. Ask sponsors to give per kilometre or a flat amount.
- Prepare water safely. Offer containers of different sizes. Kids can carry a bottle; nobody should carry more than is comfortable.
- Tell the story at the start. Read John 4:14 and share one fact from why clean water matters.
- Walk together. Pause halfway to pray using the prayer guide.
- Give and share. Point everyone to the one official Charitable Impact campaign, then post your photos.
QUESTIONS
Before you walk.
What is a Water Walk?
A Water Walk is an awareness and fundraising event where participants carry water containers a set distance to experience what daily water collection feels like, and invite friends to sponsor them.
How far should a Water Walk be?
Most community Water Walks are between 1 and 6 kilometres. Choose a distance everyone can finish safely, and let people carry less water or none at all.
How much water does a person need each day?
WHO guidance on domestic water quantity treats about 20 litres per person per day as a basic level of access — enough for drinking, cooking, and basic handwashing, but not for full hygiene. Around 50 litres per person per day supports much better health outcomes.
How much does a jerrycan of water weigh?
A full 20-litre jerrycan weighs about 20 kilograms (44 pounds), plus the container itself.
Sources
- World Health Organization — Domestic water quantity, service level and health, 2nd edition (2020) ↗
- UNICEF & WHO — Fast facts: 1 in 4 people globally still lack access to safe drinking water (August 2025) ↗
- UNICEF — Collecting water is often a colossal waste of time for women and girls (August 2016) ↗
THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU HERE
Every step points toward a well.
Every gift continues to the official Water Well Project campaign on Charitable Impact. Sharing counts too.