Charles Okorie, chairman of the Thank You Project, and Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte lead the participants of this year's Water Walk along Concord Street on their way to the Nashua River. Telegraph photo by Christopher Roberson

NASHUA – More than 100 residents throughout Greater Nashua joined Charles Okorie, chairman of the Thank You Project, for the organization’s ninth annual Water Walk fundraiser at Greeley Park on Sept. 14.

Okorie said there are currently 70 million Nigerians who do not have access to clean water. That figure is substantially higher than the population of the entire Northeast, which stands at 56 million.

He said consuming polluted water has lowered Nigeria’s average life expectancy to 55 years. However, by having a network of wells filled with clean water, Okorie said the average lifespan could increase to 60 years and save the lives of 1,000 babies per year.

Having raised $10,000 at this year’s Water Walk, Okorie said Nigeria now has six wells that are fully operational. Once completed, the seventh well will serve the Nigerian communities of Achi and Ututu. Okorie said the ultimate goal is to have 20 wells.

“It is an intrinsic quality in every human being to do good,” said Okorie, adding that such an undertaking cannot be done alone. “Over 98 percent of people want to do the right thing. Make this go viral, we are going to change the headlines together.”

Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte said New Englanders must remember that a contaminated water supply is almost unheard of in this part of the country.

“We take it for granted when we turn on that tap,” she said.

Mayor James Donchess said Nashua has stood behind Okorie since the Water Walk began in 2015.

“Charles is making the world a better place,” he said.

During the event, participants walked from Greeley Park to the Nashua River on Franklin Street where they filled five-gallon buckets before returning to the park, a round-trip distance of two miles.

Once filled, a five-gallon bucket of water weighs approximately 42 pounds. Okorie, a Nigerian immigrant, said this is what the people of Nigeria must endure every day just to get water. It is also not uncommon for temperatures to exceed 100 degrees, particularly during the dry season, which lasts from November until March.

Okorie said the cost of installing one well is $35,000 plus a yearly maintenance cost of $720. Provided the funds are available, he said it takes two months to drill 700 feet down to install a purification system and pipes that connect to a spring-fed reservoir. Once the underground infrastructure is completed, water is accessible through a series of centrally-located, outdoor spigots.