"Water water everywhere; Nor any drop to drink"

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

calm water reflecting clouds
A reflective sunrise on Lake Miltona


We took a trip to Asheville NC in early December. You may recall this western North Carolina city of just under 100k population was hit hard by hurricane Helene at the end of September. Days of rain had preceded the hurricane winds. Creeks swelled to roaring rivers, rivers overflowed and carried houses away. The area received one to two and a half FEET of rain during the storm. The true power of water was on display. 

 In the aftermath of the flooding, the infrastructure was laid bare and this area was left without drinkable or useable water. Asheville is served by three separate water treatment plants that operate thousands of miles of pipes to bring water from reservoirs to homes. Two of the three plants sustained damage, including demolished waterlines, and washouts that moved 25 feet of ground. Entire waterways shifted, making access to main lines even more difficult. Thankfully rapid repairs were made and service was restored. Water flowed again.


Returning service was only part of the herculean task to repair the water system. The treatment plants needed to be repaired, the reservoirs needed to be treated and additional infrastructure added. Helene's deluge
washed tons of sediment into the reservoirs. The water was turbid so a pilot plant was developed to test treatment options and develop an in-reservoir treatment plant. Any water that was available still had to be boiled.

The words from the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” were true for a time: “Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink” The municipal water supply was finally declared drinkable 53 days after the disaster. It's hard to imagine not having useable water for almost two months.


Water is the universal solvent. Most substances take up a little of other materials, but water picks up more of the materials that it comes in contact with than anything else. And it is changed more by those substances. Water is easily contaminated or polluted. For example, it takes only one teaspoon of salt to permanently contaminate five gallons of water. So water isn't simply water. It's always water and something else.


Water is our most precious resource. We live in a water rich state and have abundant lakes and streams in Douglas county.  We are fortunate, and forgetful.  As Benjamin Franklin noted “one doesn’t think of water until the well is dry.” Water only gets attention when it is too much, too little or too bad. It's time to pay attention and take action to keep our water flowing, clean and useable. 


So what can you do, now in the middle of winter? Be mindful of where your water comes from and how you use it. 

Once upon a time, a milkman would deliver daily milk requirements for a family. Imagine if that milkman delivered your daily water needs! Can you imagine 170 half gallons of water on your doorstep? That would be 170 half gallons for every person in your family. This is the average water requirement per person for cooking, bathing, drinking and other personal use. How much are you using? Try calculating it using the Water Use Calculator from HomeWaterWorks.org https://home-water-works.org/calculator  See how you compare to a typical household or an efficient household. The HomeWaterWorks website also has tips on how you can conserve water. Another list of helpful conservation tips can be found at the Minnesota Rural Water Association website: https://www.mrwa.com/tools/waterconservation/


Do you know where your water comes from? What's in it? Are you on a municipal water system? Municipal water systems provide a Consumer Confidence Report. The CCR tells you where your water comes from and what is in it. Do you have your own well? You are responsible for regular testing of your well water. The ideal time to do this is in the spring, but now is a good time to review past tests and prepare to test again. 1.2 million Minnesotans get their drinking water from a private well. The Minnesota Department of Health has information and recommendations for well owners: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/docs/wells/waterquality/test.pdf 


The New Year has just begun. Now is good time to think about where the water in your household comes from, and what's in it. 

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