April 10th, 2017

So, all of this is in our pantry now. And apparently I have to remember to keep it this way.  I'm not a big fan of bottled water which is probably why it wasn't on my radar.  There are things I buy fairly regularly at the grocery store.  Water isn't one of them.  Our new town does recycle, which is awesome, but I really try to keep our plastic consumption to a minimum.  Save the planet and all that.  Hey, it's important!

But having potable water is also important. Water is one of the things humans have to have to survive. And the fact that I never really gave having good water reliably available just proves that I truly am a product of this modern age. Of course I have good water.  We have a terrific filtration system in our refridgerator and it's accessible from the door.  Ice, both cubes and crushed and water, cold and yummy right there.

Until Saturday evening.  We had just finished dinner and I was cleaning up. Tim was outside getting ready to take his new bike out for a spin (no pun intended) when both of our phones and the house phone went off at the same time.  I have learned that here when that happens it is an alert of some sort.  It was a gorgeous evening, mid-70's and sunny so I was pretty sure it wasn't a weather related thing.  Turns out a primary water main had broken so all water to the island had been shut off until it was repaired.

Ok. No worries.  Tim always has some bottled water in his car and there was a full pitcher of iced tea in the fridge. We won't die of thirst.  Still, Tim jumped in the car and off he went to the grocery store for a little more water.  He said the place was a madhouse but he was able to buy some and head back home.  Meanwhile, I did a little more reading and learned that once the line was repaired, we still couldn't use to water, without boiling it, for 72 hours. So 3 days without using the water in the tap. Hmmmm

Initially, it doesn't sound like a big deal.  Then I got to thinking, what about using the dishwasher.  We eat off those plates, drink out of those glasses so does the water in the dishwasher get hot enough to cancel out whatever germs or microbes or whatever it is that we are boiling water because of?  Once the line was repaired, which happened in the wee hours of the morning,  we were allowed, once again to flush toilets, use washing machines and take showers but before ingesting we are supposed to boil the water.

Sounds simple enough doesn't it. But boil for how long?  Had to look that up.  And then of course it has to cool down and can't use the ice cubes, it's made with the same water. Dang!  So I emptied the cubes in the ice maker which I will have to continue doing for the next three days.  What else?  Well, what about making Tim's coffee?  That water boils in the process of making the coffee.  Do I have to boil it first and then put it in the machine? Or is what the machine does sufficient.  And forget making pasta.  Do I boil it before bringing it to a boil to make pasta?  Don't forget teeth brushing!  Can't use tap water for that either! 

It's all very confusing. But I do now know, that we should always have bottled water on hand in case of hurricanes or tornadoes or floods that could prevent us from having clean water.  And now I've added possible water main breakage to the list of potential calamaties. Geez.

Well it's been real fun.  Not a major deal, more a minor inconvenience. And a learning experience.  Keep bottled water on hand despite my aversion to the entire concept of bottled water.  Got it!

Oh, and recycle the empties too.