Where Do You Get Your Water?

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.

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.

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