AREA – Nearly 10 years after Scotch Plains native James Leitner walked from New Jersey to California carrying 10 gallons of water to raise awareness about clean drinking water, he has turned that symbolism into action by bringing clean water to over 75,000 people in Uganda – and he’s not done.
“This mission is important to me because I have seen the wide impact clean water has on everything. It is more than just a health intervention that eliminates waterborne illnesses. It is an opportunity to provide opportunity and dignity to women and girls,” Leitner told The Leader. “A clean water source close to home helps eliminate the 3-4 hour walks to collect water giving them the opportunity to go to school, start businesses, and be part of their community.”
Leitner’s organization, Mission Clean Water, will be hosting its annual Westfield Ultra 24-hour run on Saturday, August 1 at Tamaques Park. Participants can register for three, six, nine, twelve or 24-hour runs around the park to raise both funds and awareness.
“Running/walking around Tamaques park for 3-24 hours can seem scary, but you have a community cheering you on every loop and you will have plenty of new friends to help you. We have seen a 9 year old complete a half marathon, an 80 year old do her first marathon, and many people work together to reach 100 miles in 24 hours,” Leitner said.
According to Leitner, all donations from the 2026 Westfield Ultra will be used towards an expansion project of an existing water system. “In 2021, we completed a solar distribution water system for the Awasi community in Uganda that has been sustainably managed by the community and providing clean water to 3,500 people,” he told The Leader. “It has been so successful that neighboring communities are walking over 3 miles to use it. Funds will be used to expand this system to three neighboring communities across multiple water taps helping supply water to an additional 5,000 people.”
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2.1 billion people in the world lack access to safely managed drinking water. Mission Clean Water works to put local leadership councils in place and maintains communication and coordination with the communities where it provides water projects so that they do not become obsolete after the initial installation. Their focus is on isolated communities in arid regions that have been long underserved.
To learn more about Mission Clean Water, donate, or register for the Westfield Ultra visit https://missioncleanwater.org.
