NationStates Jolt Archive

As of last night, February 9th at 6pm, my street had its water source shut down so the city could perform emergency repairs. It is now 8:30 am the next day, Feb. 10 and the water is still off.

I remember the last time the water was shut off so the emergency repairs could be done. I had been in the shower, and I had shampoo in my hair, and it had just dripped into my eyes when the water suddenly turned to a trickle before turning off entirely. That time, at least it didn't take a long time to bring the water service back up.

This time, it's been about 14 hours and no answers still.

Having no water has made me realise how much western nations take advantage of such luxuries and never think about how we would live without it. We are so used to it being there that we don't think twice because it has become a natural part of many of our lives.

I had once laughed at my dad because after the black out that swept across Ontario and parts of the north-eastern US, he had found and kept empty plastic bottles and filled them with water he had boiled so they were purified and ready for when there was no running water or another blackout. No need to go into my thoughts on that now...

So, who here has also seen the city shut down your water supply so they could perform service on it, or anything else for that matter? Did it make you think?

After Hurricane Fran, I was without water for almost a week. We'd had plenty of time to fill up jugs for drinking water, but a week without a shower was unpleasant.

But yes, we are very dependent on our infrastructure. Lose a part of it - water, electricity, gasoline supply - and problems crop up almost instantly.

Want a chilling story of what could happen in a complete collapse of infrastructure? Read S. M. Stirling's Dies the Fire, in which, due to a sudden (and as yet unexplained) change in the laws of physics, almost all modern technology stops working, instantly, without warning. It's a damned good read, too.

Having no water has made me realise how much western nations take advantage of such luxuries and never think about how we would live without it. We are so used to it being there that we don't think twice because it has become a natural part of many of our lives.

So? I refuse to feel guilty for living in a good country.

Hurricane Isabel, when I was 11. Power was out for a week. Ifit weren't for teh generator then we wouldn't have had power or water at all. (though we didn't have any hot water :()

So? I refuse to feel guilty for living in a good country.

I never said to feel guilty, but reflect on how fortunate we are to live in such good places, where we do have running water.

So? I refuse to feel guilty for living in a good country.

Do you also refuse to have preparations made beforehand in the event that the infrastructure is disrupted or fails?

Yep. I have a set of oil lamps, Kerosene for them, a similar cooker, long term packed emergency rations, canned food, and 1000 water purification tablets (seawater rated), each good for 1 liter of water.

I figure I've got about 3 months' supplies of food, somewhat more than that of water. I also live in a geologically stable area, outside a cyclone zone, too far inland for a tsunami, in a city.

My mama didn't raise no fools.

I have never had an emergency water shutdown.

Of course, from first through 10th grade I lived at a house that used well water, so no one could shut it down (and the sheer pressure was enough to keep the water flowing for at least 10 minutes if the pump lost power).

I never said to feel guilty, but reflect on how fortunate we are to live in such good places, where we do have running water.

I'm be glad to be born and this day and age. But because I'd most likely have been killed/hung/burned at teh stake by now in the past :D

So, who here has also seen the city shut down your water supply so they could perform service on it, or anything else for that matter? Did it make you think?

No, nothing like that. We do have water restrictions here because of an ongoing drought, but it's never been shut off completely.

I've been without gas, water and electricity at separate times. Water is definately the hardest one to get by without.

The worst time was when I was a kid. I don't remember who old I was, or what when wrong, but I remember that our house was solely heated by a coal fire in the fireplace in the front room. My mum says the water pipes froze so we didn't have water. I'm pretty sure there wasn't electricity as I don't remember watching TV. That being said, my memory of that winter isn't too good.

No, nothing like that. We do have water restrictions here because of an ongoing drought, but it's never been shut off completely.

I've been wondering, if we're the driest continent on Earth..... in the middle of a drought....why the f*** are we growing rice!!!!!

I've been wondering, if we're the driest continent on Earth..... in the middle of a drought....why the f*** are we growing rice!!!!!

Actually, Antarctica is technically the driest continent (there are areas there that haven't had any precipitation for thousands of years.)

And just because we have a drought doesn't mean that some areas don't have plenty of water. The top end is tropical monoon area, remember.

And just because we have a drought doesn't mean that some areas don't have plenty of water. The top end is tropical monoon area, remember.

Rice is one of the top uses for Murray water.... we need that water... I hear that our rice isn't any good anyway :(

there was a powercut for most of christmas day in jersey. fortunately, because it was christmas, we had loads of candles everywhere, and we have an aga so dinner was still on.

Back when I lived in California and went to a church still--I think I may have been agnostic or something--I went on a missionary trip to Mexico for a week(during which my fifteenth birthday occurred) A week spent at a camp somewhere 100 miles south of Mexicali in the dirt. No showers. Sure, we had water. Plenty of water. Just no showers.

...

In fact, we had so much water that the day before we were schelued to head back, we headed over the border to eat dinner for whatever reason. We got stuck in Mexicali traffic for at least two hours, and I had drunk about a gallon or so of water before hand.

You can imagine how I might have felt during those two hours. When we finally got across the border, we stopped at a Burger King so I could go to the restroom. Pissed for a solid minute and a half. :(

So, who here has also seen the city shut down your water supply so they could perform service on it, or anything else for that matter? Did it make you think?
everytime that happens to me, I thank God that I was a Boy Scout.

Manhattan could've used that yesterday.

there was a power cut when I was watching the decent all by myself (power cuts always happen when I’m alone)

Never had anything beyond a half an hour power cut though but I do have an emergency battery for my comp and an emergency satellite uplink...just in case :D

I never said to feel guilty, but reflect on how fortunate we are to live in such good places, where we do have running water.

I have travelled large parts of the world in my life. Some with the military and a lot on my own as a civilian. I have never seen an area without running water. This is not a Western privilege it is a world wide privilege. The only time I have been without running water was deep in the Sahara with desert nomads. Even that doesn't count due to the fact they are nomads and are not part of an established settlement.