About Hope Springs Water
Founded in faith and driven by purpose, Hope Springs Water exists to bring clean water — and lasting hope — to communities around the world.
Our Story
In 2009, I was reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, then President of World Vision U.S., and praying that God would show me something meaningful I could join Him in doing.
As I prepared for a trip to the Rio Grande Valley, I stopped at a grocery store to buy bottled water. Standing in that aisle, a simple question came to mind: What would it look like if there were a bottled water company that used its profits to help provide safe water for people living in poverty around the world?
I searched for a company doing exactly that, but I couldn’t find one. The idea wouldn’t leave me alone.
At the time, I was a busy family physician. I knew nothing about the bottled water industry and even less about building water systems in developing countries. Yet I couldn’t escape the reality that millions of people lacked access to something as basic as safe water. The burden became so heavy that I finally surrendered the idea to God and began sharing it with others.
One of those conversations was with my missions pastor, Steve Akin. Expecting him to tell me the idea was unrealistic, I instead heard words that changed everything: “What a great idea. Why haven’t we thought of that before?” That conversation marked the beginning of Hope Springs Water.
What started as a simple question has grown into a mission dedicated to bringing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions to communities across Africa and Central and South America. Today, through community water systems, school sanitation projects, children’s hygiene education, and feminine hygiene empowerment programs, we are helping create healthier communities and brighter futures—one life at a time.
We believe clean water is more than a necessity. It is the foundation for health, opportunity, dignity, and hope.
Our History
From humble beginnings to a trusted name in the community, our story is one of hard work, dedication, and a commitment to the people we serve.
2010
Hope Springs Water was founded in February 2010 by Dr. Ted Mettetal after he witnessed the devastating impact that unclean water has in the developing world. Since then, our mission has been to bring HOPE to the world through Clean Water, Improved Sanitation, Public Health & Hygiene Education.
2010
Hope Springs Water’s earliest projects were conducted in rural communities along the Coco River in Nicaragua. Hope Springs Water still has a presence in Nicaragua today, bringing clean water, hygiene supplies, and hygiene education to families in need.
2010
Hope Springs Water’s bottled water first became available for sale in 2010. Our water is now available in approximately 250 outlets, and all profits are used to support our water, sanitation, health and hygiene projects in the developing world.
2013
In 2013 we dug our first well in Ethiopia. Hope Springs Water’s first wells in Ethiopia were all hand dug, some with ropes and washer pumps, and some with ropes and buckets. Today, we use portable drilling rigs. These rigs have expanded our drilling capacity, allowing us to bring clean water to thousands of people each year.
2015
In 2015 we partnered with public health officials in the Toledo District of Belize to identify areas of great need, then launched a major initiative to reclaim 50 abandoned wells. We also offered training on well maintenance and repair and community-wide hygiene education to ensure the sustainability of this project. We completed this initiative at the end of 2020.
2016
In 2016, we expanded our school-based WASH programs and developed the Hope for Girls program. The Hope for Girls program was designed to meet the hygiene and education needs of young girls as they begin menstruation. We combine this program with our other WASH initiatives to holistically address poor menstrual hygiene and improve health outcomes for girls in the developing world.
2018
In 2018, Hope Springs Water helped to found Hope for Life, an Ethiopian national non-governmental organization with a home office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Hope for Life was formed to meet the need for clean water access and better sanitation in Ethiopia and focuses on aiding disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations. Hope Springs Water collaborated with Hope for Life on all our projects in Ethiopia.
2020
In 2020, we concluded our 5-year initiative in Belize, and began a new WASH program in Guatemala. This program focuses on bringing clean water, improved sanitation, public health and hygiene education to disadvantaged communities in remote regions of Guatemala.
2023
In 2023, we launched a three-year WASH initiative in Ethiopia in partnership with local communities and government agencies. This project will improve the health and well-being of approximately 33,852 underprivileged women, children, and families in rural regions of the country by increasing accessibility to clean water and sanitation facilities, improving public health, and expanding hygiene education.
Our Leadership
Behind Hope Springs Water is a passionate team united by the belief that every person deserves access to clean water and the dignity it brings.
Our Ministry
Driven by faith and fueled by action.
WASH Program
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Over 2 billion people, live without safe drinking water and 3.6 billion people still lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Without clean water and sanitation facilities, diseases spread quickly, claiming thousands of lives.
Since 2010, Hope Springs Water has brought safe water resources and improved sanitation facilities to some of the highest-need regions of the world. We partner with local government agencies and NGOs and establish and train local water, sanitation, and hygiene committees to ensure the sustainability of water resources.
It All Begins with Water
But That’s not Where it Ends
Hygiene education is a vital part of any sustainable water program and can make a significant difference in the health of a community. Hope Springs Water teams provide educational materials to schools and teach hygiene best practices, such as handwashing, latrine use and care, and safe water storage. These educational initiatives help improve health outcomes among the populations we serve.
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Our Accountability
We hold ourselves to the highest standard of financial transparency, so every dollar you give goes exactly where it should.
We report yearly to two online non-profit accountability firms:
GuideStar (www.candid.org) and have achieved their Platinum Level distinction for our commitment to fiscal accountability.
Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigtor.org) and have achieved their Four-Star distinction for our commitment to fiscal accountability.
