Free Water

Gardening season is here. Last Saturday I hauled five loads of water. Yesterday I got two more and today I"ll get an additional two. I have two cisterns full and am working on filling the two 2,500 gallons cisterns by the garden.

The water is free!

The local water station is privately owned. It's a for-profit business that was selling water as a side line. When I first started hauling water the cost was 25 cents for 25 gallons. Then the cost increased to 75 cents for 50 gallons. Then a card system was installed which implemented a 75 cent surchange per load. I haul 250 gallons per load so my net cost became 1.8 cents per gallon.

The card system and service in general had a few problems which led to frustration in some individuals. I began hauling water from town, a distance of about 25 miles on way, so I had to schedule loads of water with other trips.

Finally person or persons unknown to me took some heavy tool and released their frustration on the equipment. The owner of the card system removed it and, voila, no water for anyone.

Then a strange thing happened. A lever, valve and sign were installed. As long as the equipment is not vandalized the water will be free.

I don't know know long the water will be free but I'm optimistic or foolish. I'm planting a large garden.

Optimistic or foolish, I have multiple backup plans. Last fall I bought 1,200 square feet of used corrugated metal. I'm going to build a trick tank to catch more rainwater for the garden cisterns.

Some day I'll get to the point that I won't have to haul water. That is assuming we don't have a repeat of last year which was extremely dry. I don't think we got eight inches of rain the entire year.

But, for now -- excluding the costs of vehicle, trailer, tank, cisterns, plumbing, fuel and time -- the water is free.