on months and water
Today was rather grayed in, and gray; it was very January outside. I kept thinking it was actually February, which competes with November for the worst month, but we're still in January.
(Haven't you noticed this, too? November is less reliably bad than February, and at least you have holidays to look forward to -- if you like the holidays that is -- but February. Man. Even though it shouldn't be as uniformly awful this year, since we've hardly had any winter at all yet, I'm not really keeping my hopes up.)
Two days ago our water was shut off, just for the day they said, so they could do some work down the block they said, only I'm not actually sure they shut it off during the hours they noted on the flier we received that morning. Ten to two, they said, your water will be off. I turned on the hot water tap at 10:30, just to see, and everything seemed fine. Still, we'd filled up buckets and pans with extra water, and no one did any dishes. At about 1500, the water seemed to be back on so I filled my bottle and the kettle. Then Peter and Ken and I went downtown for dinner -- ironically -- a water ceremony and vigil at a local church.
When we returned later that night to find the water had most definitely, unambiguously, and without question, been shut off. This was about 2100. Peter called Information and discovered that the water was off for everyone on our street, around the corner, and up the next street. Okay, then. I brushed my teeth with water from my bottle, did not flush the toilet, and tried not to feel panicky. For someone who tries -- possibly even needs -- to drink about two liters of water a day, suddenly not having the option to refill my bottle is an uncomfortable feeling. I reasoned that I could always go to the supermarket and buy water.
Fortunately we had water again by yesterday morning. I like being able to flush. And drink as much as I need to.
This minor, very short-term discomfort for me also make me uncomfortably aware of how I do take reliable, clean tap water for granted. According to the Canadian government, there are almost 100 First Nations across the country that are under Boil Water Advisories. The city of Flint, Michigan, has tap water so contaminated with lead that it actually qualifies for the EPA definition of toxic waste. My inconvenience was just that. And I certainly survived.
(Haven't you noticed this, too? November is less reliably bad than February, and at least you have holidays to look forward to -- if you like the holidays that is -- but February. Man. Even though it shouldn't be as uniformly awful this year, since we've hardly had any winter at all yet, I'm not really keeping my hopes up.)
Two days ago our water was shut off, just for the day they said, so they could do some work down the block they said, only I'm not actually sure they shut it off during the hours they noted on the flier we received that morning. Ten to two, they said, your water will be off. I turned on the hot water tap at 10:30, just to see, and everything seemed fine. Still, we'd filled up buckets and pans with extra water, and no one did any dishes. At about 1500, the water seemed to be back on so I filled my bottle and the kettle. Then Peter and Ken and I went downtown for dinner -- ironically -- a water ceremony and vigil at a local church.
When we returned later that night to find the water had most definitely, unambiguously, and without question, been shut off. This was about 2100. Peter called Information and discovered that the water was off for everyone on our street, around the corner, and up the next street. Okay, then. I brushed my teeth with water from my bottle, did not flush the toilet, and tried not to feel panicky. For someone who tries -- possibly even needs -- to drink about two liters of water a day, suddenly not having the option to refill my bottle is an uncomfortable feeling. I reasoned that I could always go to the supermarket and buy water.
Fortunately we had water again by yesterday morning. I like being able to flush. And drink as much as I need to.
This minor, very short-term discomfort for me also make me uncomfortably aware of how I do take reliable, clean tap water for granted. According to the Canadian government, there are almost 100 First Nations across the country that are under Boil Water Advisories. The city of Flint, Michigan, has tap water so contaminated with lead that it actually qualifies for the EPA definition of toxic waste. My inconvenience was just that. And I certainly survived.