On the occasion of World Water Day, Lore Group of hotels has joined hands with Dutch water charity Made Blue Foundation to allow guests to donate clean, drinking water to projects in various water-starved parts of the world.

Marking the World Water Day on March 22 and to raise awareness about the scarcity of water that is increasing throughout the world, London-based boutique hotel company, Lore Group says it has partnered with Netherlands-based water charity Made Blue Foundation for an initiative which enables guests to donate clean water to a project of their choice.

In a press statement, the hospitality group, which comprises six hotels including One Hundred Shoreditch and Sea Containers London in the United Kingdom, says that it aims to raise awareness about the world water crisis by encouraging guests to take shorter showers and reduce their water use.

The statement adds that guests will have the opportunity to donate 100 litres of clean water per night to a water project of their choice, with information on available recipients and destinations provided to all Lore Group guests. If guests do not choose a recipient, the group will automatically split the donation between the foundation’s active projects.

The Made Blue Foundation says that a guest would need to reduce their shower time by just 15 seconds to recoup a donation of 5 cents per night. According to the foundation, 100 litres of clean water represents one full day of clean water for a family in Uganda or Bangladesh.

“Tourism, at its best, should enable human connection, sparking change that lasts beyond a holiday. A key factor is awareness of our contributions to the world water crisis and how potent we could be as a force for good. Our hotels are in some of the most fortunate countries in the world in terms of water per capita, it is one of the reasons we are conscious of the combined power of resource and community and why we are delighted to support Made Blue’s work; distributing clean water directly to those who need it,” says David Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Lore Group.

“We hope our partnership with Lore Group sets a new benchmark for hotels in terms of raising awareness. Reusing towels and bed linen is the first step, as most water in hotels is used in the bathrooms and the laundry service. But so much of the real power in travel lies in community: telling positive, inspiring stories that perhaps nudge people to enjoy water more thoughtfully. Whether it is a women-led water committee run in conjunction with schools to empower girls or funding development aid, rather than government-run initiatives, where the money tends to be spent a little differently, which directly uplift local builders in local communities; that ability to resonate with ‘where’ or ‘why’ is crucial,” says Machiel van Dooren, co-founder, Made Blue Foundation.

The hotel group adds that its partnership funds 100 litres of clean, fresh water for every room night sold. Guests across each of the its six hotels are given this ‘gift’ to pay forward and that the amount is funded in its entirety by Lore Group. It says that nonetheless, every guest has the power to decide where, and whom, the total amount made possible by their stay will support.