We’ve mentioned our challenges with electricity shortages and we hear that the problem will likely not be resolved for a year or so which means regular shut-offs at any time of day or night for any number of hours. Meanwhile, our colleagues in Kitwe have been without water for over a week now and they had 3 of our other colleagues visit them this weekend. Imagine 7 people, one toilet, no water… enough said. Over the course of the weekend Cheryl posed the question:
“Would you rather be without power or water?”
What do you think? In case you folks in the developed world have not experienced either here are a few scenarios for you to think of:
No water:
- No baths or showers
- No flushing
- No water for doing the dishes
- No drinking water
- No washing the vehicles
- No tap water for washing faces and brushing teeth
No power:
- No television
- No oven or stove
- The freezer thaws and the fridge warms
- No hot water for showering
- No tea or coffee to drink
- No lights and the sun is down by 7 p.m.
- No computer or internet – ahhh! Our lifeline to the outside world!
Place your vote by clicking on the word ‘Comments’ and let us know what your choice would be if faced without one or the other for a whole week.
11 comments:
I would pick no power. Cold water is better than no water.
Janet
At first I was going to say power. Making the connections between power and cooking and email/internet, I'd rather go without water.
From my experience, I would say definitely I'd rather be without water. That isn't so tough to get around - you just need some big buckets. A bit of a pain but at least you aren't stuck in the dark using your brazier. Power is a necessity.
I would pick - no power, there are always ways around that but without water - you die. Lots of people have no power, none survive without water.
I'd go with no snow.
tough choices. No power, no hairdryer. No water, no reason to use the hairdryer. Which begs the age old question of which came first, the hairdryer or the wet hair? I think I'd rather smell nice than look nice. I'm voting for water. Lorraine
I'd go without the water. What are basins for anyway? But if it was for two weeks then I think I'd rather go without power. Basins don't last forever.
Probably I'd go without power, but as we know here in Carp (10 minutes from Silcon Valley north), no power = no water, because your well doesn't stops pumping (the pressure tank only lasts so long). And of course with our amazing canadian infratructure we only have dial up available ...
Love it here in the first world.
In Russia we lived without power numerous times (notably times when no power = no HEAT!). However, we always survived (hello, natural gas stove & water heater!). Regardless, I believe that living without power (even w/o gas) is preferable to living without water. Flushing the toilet without running water is a huge pain!
I'm assuming you mean NO water at all, including from a well, fresh stream etc. I suppose you could brush your teeth and flush with beer but...yuk! I'm voting for no power.
I would choose water over power any day. Unless you live in Wpg where you probably have more food in the house to spoil and you would freeze to death without heat.
Golferguy makes a good point about voting for no snow
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