Water Problems
The North Texas Municipal Water District announced an emergency this fine mid-July day. Turns out a 72-inch water pipe has been damaged, water has been redirected, and the general population of Collin County has been asked to make do with a substantially limited amount of water for the next three days. Heaven forbid, a blade of that lush green grass in front of the bank may have to do without a drink for a few days. I know I’m disappointed I won’t be able to drive through the puddle of overspray that is on the street every single morning, drought or not.
OK, enough cynicism and sarcasm. It’s a challenge to make anyone understand the fragility of our infrastructure, and this exercise is just enough to make the evening news and a few people take notice. What if this had been an intentional act? How prepared would we be to give up our conveniences, dishwashing every night, long showers to face the day, and filling up our swimming pools?
At the end of 2004, the main water valve to my house jammed closed and I was without water for three days. I stayed home on New Years and cleaned all the tile floors, just because I had water and could. Water is running in my house now, but I am incredibly conservative with it. I have been doing all the right things - turned it off when I was brushing my teeth, even hopped in the shower before it was very warm (now, that’s refreshing), remembered to be grateful it was there just by turning the faucet on. How much different would it be if I just conserved like that all the time?
It’s amazing how little water you can get by with when you really have to, like on a hike to a dry camp, without a spring or other water source nearby. My dad grew up in West Texas in the Great Depression, and I often try to imagine what it would’ve been like in the dusty oilfields. I begin to understand why he was always so careful with water.
Wonder if I’ll remember in a week.
