Fresh water

If a boat can keep water out, stands to reason it can keep water in. This one, 200m above the sea on a hillside near my sister's small house, is being used to capture and store rainwater.

S's house, like many others in this area, is not on mains water. It has a large 'sterna' under the patio which stores rainwater for washing bodies, clothes and dishes. Once used, the grey water is stored again for watering vegetables further down the hillside.

This morning we were down to the last litre of drinking water so we headed off to the spring not far from this boat. It's easier collecting water here than in many parts of the world. Rather than women having to carry heavy, precarious loads on their heads, we simply drove the battered old car to the spring and filled up plastic bottles with 60 litres of fresh water. That is enough drinking and cooking water for two people for twelve days.

In most of Europe and the US we shower and bath in drinking water (a five-minute power shower uses 75 litres). We also use it for watering plants. For the time being.