Scotch Plains Man Pulls 90lbs Of Water Across U.S.

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Scotch Plains James Leitner has been carrying 90 pounds of water over more than 3,000 miles across the United States to raise funds and spread awareness for the water issues many people face all around the world, but specifically in Tanzania.

He will finish his six month trek on Friday in San Francisco.

“I’ve always had a big passion for clean water ever since I was in high school,” Leitner told Patch. “One billion people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water so I decided to do this symbolical fundraiser by walking from Princeton, New Jersey to San Francisco. It is the same distance someone in Tanzania has to walk for water in a year. That breaks down to four and a half months out of the year spent walking to water.”

Leitner started his backpacking adventure by heading north to Buffalo, New York and then went west through Canada into Michigan, so he could volunteer in Flint. Since 2014, Flint has experienced water issues where more than 100,000 residents were potentially exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water.

After his time there, he went southwest to Denver, Colorado and over the Rockies into the desert of Utah and Nevada before arriving in California.

“It’s been overwhelming, it feels incredible,” Leitner said of knowing that his trek will be finished Friday. “It’s almost shell shocking looking back at the days and moments. Everyday had its extreme ups and downs. Some of the days I was sleeping in ditches to avoid the sun and now I will be happy to be back in society.”

Leitner has a gofundme page set up to help raise money through Philadelphia Serengeti Alliance to help improve life in Tanzania. He has already raised more than $10,000.

However, this isn’t the first extreme adventure for Leitner, who ran a marathon every month last year while carrying 45 pounds of water on his head for the same mission.

Once Leitner finishes his trek on Friday, he plans on exploring San Francisco a bit before heading back to Scotch Plains to see family and friends. Then he hopes to start working full time at an organization to continue his mission of helping others get clean water.

To donate to Leitner’s journey or for more information visit missioncleanwater.com.

(Image via James Leitner: James Leitner.)

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