Boiling water to wash dishes, then
pouring it out of a measuring cup
to not waste any of it
really makes you aware of
how
much
water
it takes to wash even the littlest things,
like thin silverware.
A water main broke near us
and our water got shut off
for
three
days.
It was like camping
but not.
After only the first few hours,
we started to realize
how much we take that water
for granted.
Every time we went to the bathroom,
we had to remind ourselves not to
automatically flush the toilet,
unless we had to.
Flushing is supposed to be a good habit, right?
Usually.
But it takes over a gallon of water
for
each
flush.
I know, because we had to fill up jugs at a friend’s house
and dump the water in the back of
every toilet
every time we flushed.
Washing our hands after
is always automatic too,
but we couldn’t – without water.
We are told to wash our hands
after
everything – especially during flu season,
to reduce or
prevent sickness
germs
contamination.
So we were very thankful for Purell,
even though it's slimy
and leaves a funky smell.
But it was something.
Forget the possibility of a shower,
because that was completely out of the question.
And then there were meals.
When making anything to eat,
I had no idea how often I rinse
wash my hands
between pretty much
everything.
Normally, that is a good practice –
to avoid cross-contamination.
But it quickly became
impossible
without water.
Every
single
time I went to rinse
wash my hands
brush my teeth
flush the toilet
clean a cup or
bowl or
spoon,
I couldn’t help but think
of places in other countries,
and probably even here,
that don’t have clean, running water
that we just expect,
as if it should be there
all
the
time.
We should be able to expect it.
All of us.
Yet, for some reason,
not everyone gets to have that.
And as I poured the water
out of the measuring cup,
conserving as much as I could,
I saw how quickly
it
disappeared
and how much of it
we
all
need.