Thursday 24 August 2017

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink



A notice was popped into the letter box yesterday warning that the water would be turned off between 9am and 2pm today. They are doing, oh who the fuck knows really, it has all become white noise to me. Anyway I thought it best to be at least a little prepared and given the all day race to the loo that goes on here, the flushing of the toilet has become my priority.

So I filled the bath last night so I could just scoop out the water and chuck it down the loo. Good thinking huh Batman? Except that when I went to check out my handy work this morning, all the water had drained out through the ill-fitting plug in the plug hole. BUGGER! so I have filled it again and wonder how long it will take for it to be empty. In the short term it works like a treat, do your business and then fill the red bowl and chuck it down the big white bus and voila, all gone! Yippee.

But it has lead us to think about how we use water. There are little tubs of water all around the house. When Stevie finished his fibre filled cereal this morning, I suggested being very conservative with the rinsing of the bowl and spoon before placing virtually clean in the disher. So we used a glass to scoop out some water from the sink and washed it into the half sink and called it done. So the water in the sink is 'not contaminated' Oh dear I reckon it's gonna be a long day with the whole germy germy issue I have.

Although I am clearly not the only one with this thinking, cos the warning note gave us some advice about how to deal with a dry day. Things like being careful about lifting too heavy buckets and only flush via a bucket when 'absolutely necessary', is that Council for Yellow - Mellow, but flush those turds? were outlined, and their final suggestion was to use anti-bacterial hand sanitizer for hand washing. Now I would need to have raced to the shops to get some of this shit in, cos we haven't got any and it seems that the writer of the letter presumes that all households have it, so just use it huh? Maybe I am not that germ phobic after all. Does everyone have a little supply of anti -bac hand sanitizer? I must do better.

And then I made sure that there was plenty of drinking water cos that's what I do all day and that's why sorting a loo flush was important.

The kettle is full so a cuppa is possible and just for good measure the laundry sink is full, though for what I don't know cos it is definitely not contamination free, cos I didn't scrub it when I filled it last night at silly o'clock. But there's water there and I thought, if necessary, we could decant it into the kettle and boil it to get rid of the detergent and bleach residue. I rather hope we don't get that desperate. And I filled a tub and popped it on the other downstairs loo. Again, why I am not at all sure.

Stevie filled 2 enormous buckets and they are standing guard at the front door.

I am pleased that I got the washing done yesterday and because there was a wee storm in the early hours, there is no need to think about feeding the plants.

So apart from drinking and flushing and cleaning, I wonder what else we might use water for that I have overlooked. Hopefully not much.

I am wondering how folk manage on tank only water. They must count every drop and if they came to visit they would tear out hair watching our cavalier usage. Unlimited water supply is just a given, until it's not.

Here's another reason why I am a city girl. One that I have rarely considered.

Yep, no more than 5 minutes from a Myers and constant running water please.

 

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