Monday, August 31, 2009

Where Do You Get Your Water?

Water Truck
A shiny blue truck selling drinking water

While we were in California, we really enjoyed the fact that we could get fresh, clean well water right out of the tap. Here in Ukraine we have three options for drinking water. You can filter the tap water, which we do in a small pitcher for cooking and making tea, you can get your water straight from the well, or you can buy drinking water.

At the Pump
Dominic at the then working pump about two years ago.

I usually prefer to get water from a nearby well that has a hand pump on it. Unfortunately, the pump has broken or been vandalized at least twice now. It is currently capped off and it is uncertain if it will be repaired again. There is, however, a traditional open well with a bucket and chain just outside of our apartment, but I try to avoid drinking that water as it tends to have undesirable things fall into it. You know, sorts of things like bugs and frogs. It works just fine for flushing the toilet when the water in the building is turned off, but probably not the best for drinking. I just heard yesterday that someone found a dead cat in their well. This was a well that I drank from on several previous occasions. I've decided to try and limit my water intake from these types of open wells in the future.

At the Well
Dominic demonstrating the well just outside of our building two years ago.

Just recently, a schedule was posted for a water truck that would be selling water in our neighborhood. Coincidentally, this happened to coincide with the timing of the pump being capped off. (Could there be any sinister connection here or just good timing?) Anyway, we just take our water jugs down and get them filled with what appears to be pretty good drinking water. It's a deal at about six cents a liter.

I just think it's interesting that it's perfectly normal to have a discussion about where and how someone gets their drinking water here in Ukraine. Another interesting topic for discussion is who knows the best source for fresh milk, but that's a whole different story.

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:13-14

4 comments:

Little Viky said...

What is you don't get a good drinking water?

Greg and Edna Silva said...

Vika,
I like the taste of the water from the pump, but now we get our water from the water truck. It comes from a well somewhere else. City water from the faucet is really bad.

-Greg

Ira said...

Greg,

that's amazing. The truck looks pretty new, which to me makes that sinister connection with the broken pump much more feasible.

I've never heard of selling water out of trucks before.
Bottled, yes.

How long will it be before they start selling air? =)

Greg and Edna Silva said...

Ira,

Not soon enough with all the trash being burned around here, but you know all about that.

-Greg