W3: A Day Without Water

 It wasn't until the day it was gone that I realised how much I relied on water.

We're accustomed to the dry air, intense heat, and extended dry spells because we live in a small desert town. However, none anticipated that the water supply would abruptly stop. We turned on the tap one morning, but nothing emerged. Not a warning. No justification. Nothing but quiet.

It seemed like a minor hiccup at first. Perhaps a pipe had exploded. It might return in a few hours. But as the hours passed and the sun pounded, the fact that our town lacked access to clean water—not for cooking, drinking, or washing—became apparent. Not for a day, not even.

The change in emotion was immediate. At first, many were puzzled. Then annoyed. Panic had set in by noon. The shelves where the bottled water used to be were empty as I observed my neighbour go to the corner store. Tempers rose. What little remained was collected by people.

It hit us quickly on a physical level. Sweat did not leave our skin. Our brains hurt and our lips were thirst. Without water to cool ourselves, the heat—which we typically handled with ease—felt intolerable. By the afternoon, even the plants appeared lifeless.

Basic hygiene disappeared when there was no water. There were no flushing toilets, no clean dishes, and no showers. Hand sanitiser turned into a valuable item. Since there was no means to keep them hydrated or clean, children remained home from school.

Hospitals were in crisis mode in a matter of minutes. Nurses were unable to wash their hands or sterilise instruments. Patients endured in beds without any means of rehydrating or cooling fevers. We stopped farming because we couldn't afford to lose even a single plant when others needed it for drinking.

Additionally, all cooking ceased in the kitchens around the town. Without clean water, it is impossible to boil rice or even wash an apple. To get through the day, families were consuming tinned food and dry crackers.

Amazing things happened in spite of the dread. People gathered. Despite the rarity of rain, rain barrels were cleaned up and prepared. To gather morning dew from metal sheets directed towards buckets, a group of teenagers devised a mechanism. Using emergency supplies, the mayor set up a communal water-sharing station, and volunteers brought jugs to the sick and old.

Others showed initiative by preparing their own handwash with alcohol and aloe, reusing the water from cleaned veggies to irrigate plants, and conserving dishwater for toilet flushing.

We were reminded that creativity is essential for life in the desert.

I never really thought about water until now. Without questioning where it came from or how much I used, I switched on the tap. However, everything changed after a day without it. I witnessed how water affects every aspect of our lives, including our food, employment, dignity, and health.

Even when our supply comes back, my perspective has changed. Every drop counts. Furthermore, we've discovered that we cannot afford to spend it anyplace, not even in the desert.