We've had more plumbing problems this week. These problems stress me out majorly. Our home water situation is simultaneously a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because we have a public water connection, and a curse because the water pressure is so ridiculously strong that it breaks our fittings at least a few times a month.
It's rare to have a house with access to the public water line. I bet that 85% of houses in M. don't have a water connection, and they've got no hope of getting one. There are really limited connections, and they infrastructure is way too limited to cover the demand. So that means most people have to organize their water supply for themselves. Those with less money go to the public kiosks and carry water back home in 20 Liter buckets. People with more money get the water delivered by young guys who push water carts through town. The really well-off people have a tanker bring water. So we are fortunate that we can just turn a knob and get water.
At least, that's the theory…
Herein lies the curse. The pipes, knobs, faucets, joints, and valves that make up our outdoor plumbing are constantly busting, corroding, and leaking. For many months, these leaks were only a little annoying. Then they the pump station got a new pump. I don't know where they got this pump from, but it is seriously strong. Like water cannon pressure. Like it takes two strong men to direct the spray of an open pipe. So the leaks and bursts become geysers pretty quickly. And once the plumbers come, it only gets worse. They have to take the line apart, which means a zillion gallons of water in our courtyard, which makes us worry about the sewage tank getting flooded. It's no easy job for the plumber to connect two pipes when water is blasting his face and sending the parts flying into knee-deep muddy water.
Watching the plumbing repairs makes me want to run inside and cry. Sometimes I have done just that. The quality of the materials is not good to begin with, and I think you'd need industrial parts to withstand this kind of water pressure. What is so frustrating about our plumbing problems is that I feel pretty helpless. It seems like there is no good solution. I loathe spending so much time and energy on plumbing issues.
I can only hope that the stopper valve that we installed on Tuesday will be the magic one that can withstand its high pressured job.
And yet…my perspective adjustment / reality check is to remind myself that so many people can only dream about having they type of problems that I have.
