And Not A Drop To Drink

One of the little quirks of living in Spain is the domestic water system. Visitors will note the public fountains scattered through the streets and plazas. And I don't mean the decorative fountains seen in the formal gardens and major intersections. I mean the small spigots, often little more than a stone pilaster with a brass bowl and push-button faucet. They seem a quaint throwback to medieval times when they were the only source of clean water in the heart of the city. Some are quite lovely, having been designed by famous architects and urban planners or decorated with exquisite statuary. They are, however during these modern times, dreadfully inadequate when they become one's only source of water. 

Today is Monday. I have been living without running water in my home since Thursday. 

I know, I know. I'm probably coming across as a whiney fat-cat American right now. But ladies and gentlemen and the rest of you, I challenge you to go without water for five days. It will totally change your perspective on a resource too many people take for granted. I know there are people living in this world who have never had running water. I know there are people who can't take a drink without worrying about dysentery or cholera or any number of horrible diseases, infections, and parasites. But for me this is the first time I've gone this long without a steady source of water I could assume was clean. I've been accustomed to simply turning on the faucet any time I need to clean my hands. I've been horribly wasteful. 

On Wednesday I drank a couple of cups of tea, I took a shower, I used the machine to wash a load of laundry, I washed dishes, I flushed the toilet countless times, I watered all the plants on my balcony, I mopped the floor, and I washed my hands at least a dozen times just during the preparation and consumption of meals not to mention on several other occasions. On Thursday I drank tea and started a load of laundry. That was when I heard the frustrated humming of the washer. 

No big deal. It's downtown Sitges. The water system here is considerably older and sometimes less trustworthy than that of newer developments. Our flat has a cistern on the roof that is supplied with a constant stream of water. A valve with a float (kind of like the ones you see in toilets) stops the water when the tank is full. An electric pump pulls water from the cistern and sends it into the flat. We've had sand and other particles get caught in the pipes before. I knew I just had to check the valve and the pump to make sure both were unclogged and functioning properly. I went upstairs and checked everything out. Nothing seemed to be wrong. 

I emailed the landlord (who, like half the men in Catalunia is named Xavi [The other half are named Jordi.]) to ask for his assistance and if he knew of any work going on in the building that would require the water to be shut off. I didn't hear back from him until Saturday. That's when he told me he didn't know what was going on. By that time the laundry was spilling out of the hamper, the dirty dishes were piled in the kitchen like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie, my plants were beginning to wilt, and my body odor was to the point I didn't want to be around me anymore. I'm not even going to mention the stress of having to move my bowels and knowing I can't flush the toilet. 

The partner emailed the landlord too and eventually heard back that the water was shut off for nonpayment. Xavi never moved the water bill into our names so we never received any notices. We just assumed he was pulling the money out of the checking account like he does for the rent. Utility bills have been moving out of the account for months. And just as a side note: here in spain, utility bills tend to be bimonthly, trimonthly or at random intervals I have yet to understand. 

Today the partner went to the water office here in town. He discovered not only have no water payments been made for our flat during the time we've been here, but no payment had been made for the entire previous year. It took them TWO YEARS to turn off the water for nonpayment. 

You think homestead rights are pretty crazy in the U.S.? Try having the right to get water and electricity, to even not pay your rent for two years without recourse. That's Spain for you. It's nice to know as a renter I have that extra layer of protection. It would have been nicer to know I was using it.