Aqua, Por Favor

I woke this morning to a strange sound coming from my basement, a repeating periodic tone, a vibration of sorts. When I got up to go to the bathroom and get a drink of water, I learned what it was. My well pump was no longer functioning. We were without water.

It made me think of a scene from the film No Country For Old Men. Llewelyn Moss comes across a drug deal gone bad out in the wilderness where he is hunting. In addition to several dead bodies there is a wounded Mexican bleeding in a car. Moss warily approaches. The man looks at him with pleading eyes and says, "Agua. Agua, por favor."

This is what happens when we bleed. We get cold and thirsty. Fluids are essential to life, and without water, whether bleeding or not, we die.

I was reminded of our year in Mexico and a couple of our visits to Mexico City. We stayed for a week with a family in the barrios and learned how precious water is when it is not readily available. Because of the immense population, water was rationed. The water would only be turned on for ninety minutes a day, and the people would fill their 55 gallon drums at that assigned time. The sector we stayed at only had flowing water from three a.m. to four thirty.

To be sure, water is just one of the many conveniences we Americans take for granted.

While my own well was kaput this morning, I did a quick Internet search to see what other parts of the world were experiencing water shortages. Here is just a small portion, and a big reminder that we ought not, can not, take this precious commodity for granted.

Pakistan

From a story about the water and power crisis in Islamabad: "With the arrival of summer, the capital’s water crisis has assumed a new dimension leaving tanks and taps in thousands of homes in several sectors running virtually dry."

Israel

Water allocations to farmers need to be cut due to shortages. "Israel can't afford to continue supporting the farming community - from the perspective of water. There just isn't enough, say ministers." ...from story titled "Looming water crisis endangers local food supply."

India

An article about India's water situation states that the "crisis has reached critical levels."

East Africa

Article titled "A water crisis of unimaginable proportions."

Zanzibar

A week long power outage has resulted in fears of an outbreak of cholera due to the bad water situation.

Niger

Another story introduces readers to a killer drought that is having a devastating affect in this African nation.

When I mentioned to the two men who came to replace our submersible pump that the experience of being without water (for several hours) led me to think about those whose hardships in this regard were far more grave. I told him I would be writing about it on my blog tonight. He said that he'd be willing to postpone fixing our well for a couple days so that we could have a more intimate understanding of the experience. I thanked him for the gesture, but was pleased when by noon today we had running water again.

Let's not forget the less fortunate. And let's not forget to be grateful for the many things we take for granted.