With Lake Mead’s visibly low levels as a stark backdrop, Grundfos, the world’s foremost water solutions company known for its leadership in advanced pump technology, joined global water advocate and ultra‑runner Mina Guli and her Thirst Foundation to launch “Keep the River Running.” The first of its kind, the national campaign focuses on protecting the American West’s economic backbone: the Colorado River.
This is about safeguarding livelihoods and futures, and I’m fortunate that a partner like Grundfos is focused on solutions that exist, including smarter water use, infrastructure upgrades, agricultural efficiency, and collaboration across the region.
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The Colorado River is more than a natural resource. It is the engine of the American West, powering water security for 40 million people, supporting 16 million jobs, and underpinning more than $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity across cities, farms, manufacturers, energy producers, tourism economies, and Tribal Nations.
“I’m running the length of the Colorado River to shine a spotlight on what’s truly at stake for the communities and economies it powers,” said Mina Guli. “This is about safeguarding livelihoods and futures, and I’m fortunate that a partner like Grundfos is focused on solutions that exist, including smarter water use, infrastructure upgrades, agricultural efficiency, and collaboration across the region. We need the awareness and momentum to make them happen at scale.”
After decades of drought, overuse, and aging infrastructure, that engine that is the Colorado River is increasingly under strain. As the river declines, supply chains tighten, operating costs rise, and growth slows. What was once seen as a distant environmental issue has become an immediate economic and societal risk.
“For America to run strong, the river must run strong,” said Ansell Sims, President, Grundfos USA. “Supporting Mina’s campaign is about elevating urgency and accelerating action by pairing advocacy with proven solutions. With high‑efficiency pumps, intelligent controls, and smart water management, communities and industries can cut losses, lower lifecycle costs, and build resilience. That is how we keep businesses open, jobs secure, and the West’s economy moving.”
The Hoover Dam launch connected the river’s declining levels to the economic consequences already visible across the West. It emphasized the policy context ahead, as states, federal agencies, and Mexico work toward a new water‑sharing framework set to take effect in 2026. The campaign’s goal is to turn urgency into action, treating the Colorado River as the national asset it is and mobilizing investment and collaboration to secure its future.
Beginning in June 2026, Guli will undertake an approximately 100‑day, 1,700-mile run tracing the Colorado River from source to sea along the U.S.–Mexico border toward Los Angeles. Along the route, Guli and Grundfos will host community conversations in key markets including Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, bringing together business leaders, farmers, Tribal Nations, utilities, and policymakers to surface risks, share solutions, and advance practical steps communities can adopt now. Her journey is designed to make the invisible visible: to connect everyday livelihoods to the health of a river system powering regional prosperity.
For Grundfos, the partnership reflects a belief that awareness must be matched by implementation. Across water utilities, buildings, and industry, Grundfos technologies help reduce non‑revenue water, improve efficiency, and harden critical systems against volatility—measures that translate directly into economic resilience. Keep the River Running will spotlight these practical, scalable solutions while building the public will to invest in the infrastructure and collaboration the Basin needs.
To learn more about the campaign, visit www.keeptheriverrunning.com.