New Water Well Installation Provides Reliable Water Access For Virginia Family

Xylem, Water Well Trust, HometownH20 and local partners join forces to replace a 75 year old well system to end years of water shortages for the Brown family

Willis, VA – After years of water shortages affecting daily life, a rural Virginia family will soon have reliable access to water. A collaborative well installation between Xylem (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water solutions company, the Water Well Trust (WWT), and HometownH2O, a program of the Chris Long Foundations’ Waterboys initiative, will provide the Brown family with a new water well and pump system. Together, these organizations work to address water access challenges in underserved communities, underscoring the importance of collaboration and partnerships.

Tristan Brown, a Purple Heart recipient, and his wife Merrilynn purchased their rural Willis, Virginia, property several years ago with plans to build a homestead and raise animals while homeschooling their three children. After serving his country, Brown hoped to build a selfsufficient life for his family. However, soon after moving in, they discovered their aging well could no longer reliably meet the family's water needs.

As the well continued to weaken, the family was forced to ration water, structuring their daily routines around waiting for the well to replenish and making it increasingly difficult to maintain the gardens and livestock that were central to their homesteading plans. As the Browns explored options for replacing the well, the cost of drilling a new system proved financially out of reach.

“We’ve spent years planning our days around water and hoping the well would hold on just a little longer,” said Tristan Brown. “There were times when we'd run out of water in the middle of a shower or wake up during the night just to run a load of laundry. This new well is more than a source of water — it's a source of stability, relief and hope for our family.”

Volunteers and local professionals will drill a new well and install a pump system to restore dependable water service to the home. Key project partners include local distributor CMC Supply and well driller Rorrer Well Drilling, which is donating drilling services for the project. Together with Xylem Watermark, the company’s corporate social responsibility program, partners are contributing equipment, materials, technical expertise and services to complete the installation.

“Reliable water access is something many people take for granted, but for millions of Americans it remains a daily challenge,” said Alex Rodriguez, Market Development Manager at Xylem. “Projects like this demonstrate what's possible when organizations, local partners and volunteers come together to support families and strengthen communities. We're honored to help the Brown family gain access to the safe, dependable water they deserve.”

Across the United States, many households still contend with unreliable or unsafe household water supplies, highlighting the continued need for targeted, community-based solutions.

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of water access. For more information about the Chris Long Foundation and HometownH2O projects, visit  waterboys.org/hometown. 

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company that empowers customers and communities to build a more water-secure world. Our 22,000 employees delivered revenue of $9 billion in 2025, optimizing water and resource management with innovation and expertise. Join us at www.xylem.com and Let’s Solve Water.

About Xylem Watermark

Xylem Watermark is Xylem’s corporate social responsibility program. Its mission is to provide education and equitable access to safe water and sanitation to support healthy lives and help build resilient communities.

About the Chris Long Foundation and Waterboys

The Chris Long Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded by two-time Super Bowl Champion and 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Chris Long. We mobilize champions, service providers, and experts to help communities access clean water, address basic needs for youth and families, and inspire others to make an impact at home and abroad. Our vision is access and opportunity everywhere. To date, the Waterboys initiative has provided clean water to over 620,000 people in need. HometownH2O is a program of the Chris Long Foundation. Visit chrislongfoundation.org and waterboys.org to learn more.

About Water Well Trust

The Water Well Trust (WWT) is a 501(c)3 organization created by the Water Systems Council to provide a clean water supply to American families living without access to a precious resource most of us take for granted. We serve Americans living primarily in rural, unincorporated areas or minority communities that may be isolated and difficult to reach. We assist low-income families who live in areas where the extension of public water supplies to serve them doesn’t make economic sense…for them, for the public water supply owners, for federal, state or local funding sources.