Nearly three weeks ago we had heavy rains here in Texas (you may have seen the flooding in Baton Rouge Louisiana). So when the ground behind the house and in between the house and carport didn't dry out all the way, I didn't worry.
Then a week later we ran out of propane, and despite sunny hot weather the ground was a swamp. Hmmm I thought.
So I went investigating. Turns out there is a slab leak in the house. Took the only plumber in the county who does this work a WEEK to come out and say "yeah you've got a leak." No kidding. The water coming out of concrete was my first clue.
Then it's another week (tomorrow Monday) before he can get back with equipment to find the leak, and then a few days after THAT before he can MAYBE get it fixed.
So in the meantime I have shut the water off at the main. That means we all get up at 5am and everyone takes a shower first thing. Then the water goes off for the rest of the day. We go in to town and spend the day or use the restroom (the ground needs to be somewhat dry if the plumber ends up needing to dig.)
We have enough water in hand thanks to our preps, and since the water is shut off voluntarily it's not like we have NO water and are water challenged. So it has really been surprising how stressful it has been. I sent DH and the kids to my DS21's place for the weekend but it's too far for me to commute back and forth for my current work. So it's just been me here.
I've been very surprised how wearing the constant "do this not that" planning your every activity has been. Yesterday I slept normal amounts of hours and just dragged at work. So today I intentionally slept until I normally wake then moved into the living room and slept for another 2 hours in air conditioning (we can't run it all night that's another story.)
Planning when to do dishes and how fast, refilling water containers while the water's on/running etc. Small things like, I gel my hair: I don't like gelling it wet, and I usually let it air dry, which is way after the water has been shut off. Usually one just turns on the faucet to rinse of hands. Now it's pouring water and stop up the sink so you don't waste a pour. The reality that even for small things, water is cold; not such a big deal in Texas 104 degree summer, but 20 degree winter? And the constant worry that I'm just days away from the water bring shut off for real while the repair is made and how are we going to pay for the water bill (the actual bill, not the repair.) It wears on you.
In all this, I look at the bright side. We have options (I mean realistically even if the water was shut off for weeks we could travel to/from my son's every day although at that point from a cost standpoint it's cheaper to move us into Motel 6!), we have food and electric, DH has a gym at his office so he can shower there if need be, the rest of us can do bathtub since it's not too far to go to refill water, and we can do laundry in town.
It would be way worse if we were having this problem AND we were under water restriction like in California. At least I don't have the added worry of having to decide where I am spending my 4 gallons of rationed water per person/day.
Which brings me to prepping. The recommended "3 gallons/person/day" is NOT enough. Unless the S has truly HTF and you aren't leaving your home. 3G/P/P means you aren't showering, you are not doing laundry, not washing your hair, and digging a hole in the backyard to go to the bathroom, and that's IF you have a backyard. What if you don't?
I've said it before, I've got to figure out a way to get a composting toilet. And I'm going to get my barrels refilled and then find a way to get water cubes. But for now I'm grateful it's just an exercise in prepping water challenged, not the real thing.
