Water is life

So with Nashville still in flood recovery, this also means that our water supply is still a bit volatile, and our conservation efforts are still in full gear.

I already wrote one blog about water, but it’s been on my mind quite a bit, as my hair isn’t quite up to it’s shiny and bouncy normal self.  Last week, I went home to my parents for the weekend – and thoroughly enjoyed not taking the requested Navy showers that were stated as necessary to keep our water supply in check.

I believe the water supply is at about 85% now, and our efforts have paid off.  We’re not out of the woods yet they say, and they are asking that we keep up the conservation concept until the end of the month.  That means no car washes, no watering the lawn, no long showers.  The rule “if it’s yellow keep it mellow” might be more of a rally cry than anyone would like to admit.

But I’m thinking this might be something we should keep in mind for more than just a month.

I waste too much water.  Before the flood, I didn’t turn off the water when I brushed my teeth.  I had the tap on full when I was waiting for the water to warm up to wash my face, to do the dishes.  I would boil way more water than needed to make my french press of coffee each day.

Water is essential to Life.  And Life is precious.

To turn off the water when I brush my teeth is a very small, very simple change. Yet over time can amount to a huge amount of clean water being conserved.    I  hope that the month of May is long enough for these to become habits, not because the city is telling me to, but because I believe that everyone deserves clean water.  Each life is precious, and each drop of water should be too.

Water water everywhere….

They have dubbed it a monsoon.

Some have said it’s the most rain that Nashville has ever seen.   I know for a fact it’s the most rain I have ever seen.  The mayor has declared a state of emergency.

I live in a decent elevation, and my power has stayed on consistantly.  My satellite TV is off more than on, but considering what many of my friends are going through with flooded homes, water boil orders and being stranded away from their homes, I have nothing to complain about.

Nashville is in bad shape and is in need of prayer, there’s no question about that.

One thing has really struck me today though.  I have heard reports of raw sewage floating down the road in some communities.  Franklin and Brentwood are being asked to fill their tubs with water, as in a few hours their water supply will be completely compromised. People have died in the waters.   Emergency rooms are literally flooded.  40,000 homes without power.

And I can’t help but think, this is what the majority of the world sees on a daily basis.

We all know the stats –

An American taking a 5 minute shower uses more water than a person in a developing country uses in a whole day.

One Third of the world’s population has no access to sanitation facilities.

The average person in the world uses 297 watts per person per capita.  Americans average 1460.  Nearly ¼ of the world’s population doesn’t have home access to electricity.

So while the city I love is in need of your prayers, once the waters subside, I want to remember how these things I take for granted are a luxury to so many.

But here’s a cool video of Nashville floods from yesterday….can’t imagine what this road looks like today