No More No Water

It is a big day!  Today is the day we have water!  We now have 2,500 liters of water at our disposal.  All day.  Every day.  It doesn't matter if Mokhotlong turns off the water.  It doesn't matter if they decide the water supply needs cleaning without warning.  It doesn't matter!  We have water!

Months ago friends of ours in South Africa wrote to ask if we needed any plumbing jobs done.  Mokhotlong isn't just crawling with handymen.  If something needs doing, you're most likely on your own figuring it out.  We really appreciated the offer!  After so much drought and so many water outages last year, we had already decided we wanted to install a reserve tank upon our return.  Having a helping hand in that installation was very welcome!

So our friends came up to scout things out a few weeks ago and we mapped a plan to getting the tank in place.  It was decided we'd put the tank on top of the outhouse to create pressure from gravity.  The irony wasn't lost on me.  We are using the outhouse so that we don't have to use the outhouse.  We then ordered the tank through a local furniture store so they could bring it up the mountains on their giant truck.  We set a date to get the thing hooked up and today it happened.

After many bucket baths, many days of saving flushes for only necessary flush occasions (pew), many sinks full of dishes and lots of hand laundry, we now have water which will run whether the water from Mokhotlong is on or off.  I am so relieved!  Who knew water could be such an exciting thing?

What the tub looks like after five people take a spit bath.  Don't drain it!  You can scoop and dump it into the back of the toilet for a flush!

Won't miss this!

I'll spare you the picture of Jono in the bucket bath.  

Wait, no I won't.  Here it is....

The tank was installed under close supervision from the boss, Sadie.

Co-supervisor, the neighbors' name-less dog.

Thanks, guys!  Your kindness won't soon be forgotten!

~Abby