water

Twice a week, usually Mondays and Wednesdays (and if there has been a lot of rain Sundays sometimes too) around 6-7PM I hear something that sounds like demon snakes coming from the bathroom. I've had a couple friends not understand what I meant when I said "when the water comes.." so here is a better explanation.

The only times that water comes out of the faucet in the town are scheduled by the local municipality. A "water schedule". They turn the water on and residents must be ready in their house to collect the water in water drums, buckets, (a cistern if you are lucky), sinks, and bathtubs. Often times, families fill up the bathtub and use that water to flush the toilet throughout the week. Seeing as bathing is usually a 1-2x/week occasion, this causes no major problem. The wealthier areas of town and the villages surrounding have water more frequently.

I still panic (but am joyful) when I hear the hissing noise- because I remember not having water at all for the first summer month I lived in Noyemberyan or the many times during those 7 months my family would run out. It was certainly harder to live with a family because of the water issue.... when the water got too low to bucket-flush the toilet, things got tense. I stopped bucket bathing for months so that I could wash my clothes instead; going to the bath-house with my sitemates as an alternative. During training I had a hot shower with almost constant running water and it seems most everyone I know in other parts of the country have running water now at their permanent sites. My advice to newcoming PCVs- never live on the top floor of an apartment building (the water won't reach your floor as often plus it will be impossible to heat). I'm so grateful that my new apartment is NOT on the top floor!!

The sound of water coming here is followed by the sound of me running around for the next hour with buckets to fill my water barrel and bins, water the plants, rince out my handwashed laundry, and wash only the dirtiest dishes...

A couple years ago a Doctors without Borders family lived here and installed a hot water heater but took it with them when they left. What I wonder is if they waited in the house until Mondays and Wednesdays around 7 to shower, or if they had a cistern that they took with them too? hmm. Why would one move a cistern?...