Harry Westmoreland, Hydrophilanthropist

You won't find the name of Harry Westmoreland among the great water scientists, engineers, lawyers, managers, or economists. You'd be more likely to find him in Kenya or some other faraway place, helping people with their water problems.

Harry founded Lone Star Bit (www.lonestarbit.com) in 1984 to service and build custom drill bits. He eventually branched out into small (portable) mud rotary drilling rigs. He devised the LS-100, the "100" designation meaning that it could drill 100 feet into soft formations. He had a vision, though: use the LS-100 to train people in developing countries to obtain their own clean water supplies. To that end, he was one of the founders of Living Water International (www.water.cc), a faith-based hydrophilanthropic organization in the Houston area. His faith and acumen helped make LWI into what it is today - a group that has drilled over 4,000 wells in 21 countries.

He kept improving the LS-100, such that it has been joined by its big sisters, the LS-200 and LS-300 (a hydraulic version of the LS-200). He even developed an air-rotary version and a down-hole hammer.

Harry was an amazing man. He was one of those who inspired me to help others through water. I met him at a Lifewater International (www.lifewater.org) conference and was taken aback at the ingenuity embodied in the LS-100. In typical fashion, Harry wouldn't take credit for his invention, but gave credit to the Lord. On the spot I signed up for his drill-training session at Quantum Lakes in Cleveland, TX, in winter 2000. Harry was a skilled instructor who didn't cut you any slack. Each night, after a long day's drilling, he would quiz each team, promising to the winners the "highly-coveted flashlight award" - a Mini-Mag flashlight. Boy, did we compete for those! I later took his hand-pump repair course, and then graduated to an instructor. 

Harry died on February 16, 2007, far too young at 65.

If you would like to honor Harry's remarkable life and work, please make a donation to the Harry Westmoreland Memorial Fund - send a check to Living Water International, P.O. Box 35496, Houston, TX 77235-5496 or donate online at www.water.cc.

You can read more about Harry at:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4562162.html

Come to think of it, his name does belong up there with the water greats.   

"Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it." -- Chinese proverb
                                    

Comments

[Michael]

Thanks.

Hard to believe that he has been gone for almost a year. People like Harry are always in short supply, but fortunately, the good he did will persist because of all the people he touched.

[M Johnson]

I have to say you know your stuff,thanks for the info.