Water Water Everywhere...

but not in my house.


When I first arrived in Sierra Leone I knew that there would be issues in obtaining the basics i.e. water and power.  This is one of the least developed countries in the world: ranking 180 of 187 on the UNDP Development Index with 77% of Sierra Leoneans living in poverty.  

After eight months I have come to the conclusion that I can live without power but no running water isa bigger issue.  I realise it is easy for me on the power front as I am lucky enough to be able to charge items at work where the electricity is pretty regular.  It's a luxury to have a fridge at home but I could live without one as I can shop at the market everyday.

Water is another issue. When it stops coming out of my taps and shower, as it did one month ago, you have to source it from local communal taps and have bucket showers.  At first I managed without this having filled the four water butts in the flat when water was there, but now they are empty so I have to ask Patrick downstairs to fill gerry cans for me.  He is a lovely strong lad for whom carrying these heavy cans is no effort at all.  Without him I would be struggling.

So why no water?  I'm told that some road works have cut through the main pipe as no-one in the vicinity has water and people are having to come a considerable distance to use the communal tap.  The annoying part about all this is that regularly there is water running down the streets from burst mains - seeing this wasted water is soul destroying.  I met a man in the street who was shaking his head and mumbling "wi waste wata na Salone" (we waste water in Sierra Leone) as he picked his way through a stream running down the street.  He is so right.

In all these things there are learnings.  From this one is my ever increasing skill at washing using less and less water in my bucket - although washing my hair is another issue.  I am now also very aware of how much water it uses to flush a toilet so refrain from doing so every time the toilet is used.  Something to think about everywhere as water becomes a scare resource.