This post, will not be about cats or kittens. This post is about something much more precious, which is water. This will be the 31st day since I have experienced “water inconsistency” in my home. I suppose it’s the way they label things now. They don’t call people without homes homeless, they are now houseless. They don’t call kids who are starving in the United States as starvation, they call it food inconsistency. As I learned recently, they don’t call people who are dealing with a dry well, what it actually is. a dry well, they refer as I have water insufficiency.

I drive to town every two days and fill up my jugs with as much water as I can carry. Several of the gas stations I talked to would do this for me for a price. I found one, who lets me take the water for free. I’m not talking about 50 gallon jugs that I’m filling up. First of all I have a 5 gallon jug that when I fill it up I can barely lift it. I’m talking about juice containers and old water bottles, things of that nature.

I’ve had people come out, they are “experts in their field” some are pump experts, others are well drillers, and others are well constructors (which I never even knew there was such a creature.) They are not free. I wish they were. So much for free estimates. I also talked to the Water Master, who I found a very delightful man. He was full of a lot of information. He told me that my water table is very low. He told me that on this street alone in the last year, there have been 17 new wells drilled. He also said that a lot of these houses that have stayed empty for so long and are now occupied , they are occupied by people who are used to paying high water bills. He said he’s discovered that the thinking among these people when they first discover that they don’t have to pay for water is they don’t worry about it. They don’t realize that water may be free, but it is not endless.

It takes me about an hour and a half to do my dishes. I have graduated to paper plates. I cannot use my washer. Going into town to do my laundry last week was a real culture shock for me. I have to be honest,  the last time I went to the laundromat was a long time ago. To wash clothes was $.50 to dry a quarter. Those days are gone.

I’ve had one well claimed dry, and the expert said that he would certify that it was dry. Yesterday this well sprung a leak, after somebody who said he knew what he was doing decided to redirect the irrigation well water to the domestic well. Unfortunately, about an hour later, my domestic well just blew up. Literally exploding water everywhere. The pressure cracked pipes, damaged casings, and even blew the top off my two year old pump comply off!

I am looking for funding. What I am finding is that due to the political issues, they have put a freeze on what they consider “nonessential funding” unfortunately this non-essential funding involves the elderly of which I’m one. So although there are grants out there that I could get. They have frozen them, so nobody gets them.

I’ve had quotes on how to fix the problem, going anywhere from $2,000-$12,000. The problem is even to qualify for funding you have to have estimates. Even the experts that have been out here who have told me that before they left, I would have a written estimate in my hand, can’t seem to follow through with what they promised. I am paralyzed because I can’t apply for funding without knowing how much money I’m going to need.

So here I am, jumping into my truck, driving into town and filling up these jugs every two days. I am repaying this courtesy with my cooking. I take most of my meals and make dinners and then can them for winter. The gentleman is very appreciative of what I’m doing. He is a bachelor with four children. I wish I was a better cook, I definitely wish I was a chef. But I do honest, home-cooked meals. The food they give you at the food bank is plentiful. I’ll put together whatever I can with what I have to make things work.

I am sorry to be such a vast departure from what I’m all about which is my cats. When they redirected the irrigation, well to the house, the mineral content in it was alarming. I had to boil it for three minutes until all the minerals formed this nasty ring around my pots. Then I had to clean the ring off, and re-boil the water in another pot for three more minutes. That was just to get potable water for my animals.

I have done everything I can do to get this process going. I have filled out a Dry and Abandoned Well Report for the government. I have applied through the government for a grant, which again is there, but isn’t. I have contacted 10 organizations that help the elderly with low income.. I have called 21 well drillers, six pump companies. I’ve had only four replies. Only three people have come out.

I am sitting here, treading water, trying to stay afloat. Wondering when I’m going to have water coming back through my pipes into my house. From where I’m sitting right now. It looks very bleak. They all tell me on the phone:. “Don’t worry as soon as it starts raining your wells will fill up.” It’s supposed to be raining hard right now, according to the forecast but there’s nothing falling from the sky.

Thank you for letting me vent. It’s been a totally overwhelming time for me lately. All kitties are fine, they are getting the best water I can offer them. I am doing the best I can with what I have.I always do.

“May God Bless your day”

M.A.