You don’t realise how much you rely on something until you haven’t got it. We’ve had a major leak in the water pipe that serves our house, though very, very Fortunately not inside the house. Nevertheless, after several visits from the Water Board and our plumber, the water supply was eventually shut off until a permanent repair could be made.
We have now been without mains water for a whole week!
As a gardener I thought I was fully aware of the value of water. We collect gallons and gallons of rainwater into water butts to water the garden and greenhouse.
Plants in fact prefer this natural, unadulterated version of H2O.
Fortunately I’ve at least had this water to keep my garden plants alive in the recent warm spell. I’ve not used the rainwater in the greenhouse, apart from watering mature greenhouse plants. I’ve had to totally rely on ferrying fresh bottles of water for the seedlings still languishing on the greenhouse staging and shelves.
But it has also meant that we have no water for washing, for dishes and even for flushing the loo.
Thank goodness we have kind neighbours with an outside toilet!
Every drop of water for cooking, washing and everything else has also been brought into the house in large water bottles. It really makes you realise how much water you use and how we take for granted turning on a tap. Apart from the hassle, the expense and the inconvenience, it’s been a huge reminder about the value of water and a test on just how we would or even could manage if the water went off! I seem to remember in the heat wave of 1976 we had to use water standpipes down our road, it’s a distant memory, but one that has been made much clearer in my mind since this latest event here at home.
This morning it is raining and I’m glad. Glad because it is watering in all the plants I planted out over the weekend and glad because it is replenishing the water butts on which I have relied so heavily in the last few days.
