Out of water

My house has running water. I recognize that even though we're only talking cold running water here, that it's a luxury to be able to turn on the tap and get water. The house has a small reserve tank from which the taps draw, that gets filled twice a week by a water pump that also supplies the hospital and some other nearby buildings. James, the head doctor at the hospital, told me that over the past few weeks, the pumps have been stopping before the reserve tank at the hospital was full, and they've been having water shortages. I felt glad that our tank seemingly stayed full, but I've been using water even more sparingly lately just to make sure.

Also starting a few weeks ago, the principal has been filling her big water jugs at our house. In the best of times, our water pressure is low, so filling them for her takes about half and hour. Each jug is 20L and she brings two. Prior to a few weeks ago, she got her water delivered by somebody who brought it from the river, and I'd like to know what happened to that plan, because not only is it time consuming (and you can't just leave it in the sink to fill by itself, because it sink is too small to align the tap nozzle with the jug's mouth), but also worrisome. My deepest fear is not that I am inadequate, it is that I might run out of water. Before she leaves me to fill them, we always take a few minutes for her to assure me that I won't run out of water.

Well. On Monday she got 40L and then yesterday she took 60L. This morning Winnie tried to take a shower and...nothing. From the two sinks we got enough water that was still in the pipes to boil some water to heat up our breakfast (pumpkin!) but then that was it. I have a small supply of bottled water for drinking, and I used a bit to wash my face. Then the ol' Purell for the hands- my mom made fun of me for packing it, but I am not lying when I say that stuff has saved my life many times over.

After breakfast I headed to school ready to inform the principal that she owed us some water back, but she was traveling all day. Ugh. So matron arranged that some water would be brought over to our house...some sweetheart students carried it all the way from the river during lunch. What good girls, but also, I feel kind of bad about that. James said the pump should be on again by tomorrow to fill our reserve tank, but until then, living with all water from jugs is hard. Washing hands with soap- you want to use both hands to rinse, but one hand is for pouring. Washing dishes. We're holding off laundry until it comes back. There was one flush left it the toilet that we saved until, ahem, we really needed it. It's so annoying. When I first came, I was in a BRING IT, KENYA mood, and so adjusting to no electricity or got water was a cinch. But now that my days are very numbered and I've started dreaming about marble cheese, fast internet, and long hot showers, then to back even further away is painful. I've learned my lesson. Blah Blah, we should appreciate having running water, and not take it for granted yadda yadda. Fine, good, now give me running water back!