¡No hay agua!

Installing our new tinaco this year — we didn't put it on the roof, unsure whether the roof could bear the weight, so we have no gravity feed and have to rely on an electric pump. Which isn't working anymore.

Between living on a boat and living in a house in Mexico, we've had plenty of experience running out of water. You'd think by now we'd have a better system for dealing with it. Murphy's Law dictates it's always going to happen at an inopportune time – but when is a good time, anyway, maybe from midnight to 4am? More likely it's when you're standing under the shower with a headful of shampoo suds, or at the kitchen sink about to wash up after the biggest meal of the day. Or when a dog comes in after rolling in the mud. Or the Capt has been making automotive repairs.

The water shut off last night, and is still off this morning. When we first moved here the local water company would post alerts on the Viva San Carlos Forum each time there were stoppages, but now it's anybody's guess.

We're a little better prepared today. We brought two five-gallon jugs from the boat, which we keep filled with washup water, and when the faucets run dry we fill plastic dishpans in the bathroom and kitchen, with smaller bowls to scoop out water for handwashing. No shampoos for us or the dogs, no major dishwashing or mopping, but at least we can have clean hands. And if we're pining for a shower, we can walk down to the hotel for a shower and a swim.

We have a full tinaco but its pump has burned out, so the only way we'll access that water now is by scooping it out with a dipper. Two things we can always count on: if a pump or a battery is involved, it will burn out. They can put a man on the moon, but they still can't come up with a reliable water pump or battery.

Our friend Mark, who has rented a casita in a Mexican neighborhood in nearby Guaymas while he's making boat repairs at the marina, said his water ran out a few days ago, and when he mentioned it to his neighbors, they said Guaymas only supplies water to its residents two days a week. Everyone's tinaco fills up when there's water, and then they get by with the stored water until the next refill day. They told him (not bothering to hide their resentment) that no such rationing is done in San Carlos because of all the gringos who live here. Of course, much of the problem with the Guaymas water system is due to broken pipes; it's not uncommon to drive through a flooded street when it hasn't rained for months.

We live in the desert, and rainfall is really pretty much limited to a few days a year and yet developers keep planning building condos and housing complexes here. What are they thinking?

Last week Shoestring Gringa had the same problem, when their water ran out, on Laundry Day. Hope your faucets are running again, amiga. And I hope you get yourself a tinaco soon.

UPDATE: I told the Capt if he was able to get the pump working, the water company would turn on the water again. Murphy's Law in reverse, being its usual contrary self. And that's exactly what happened. Ya hay agua!

Last year about this time we had a couple of gullywashing rainstorms. Wouldn't mind having one right now… I'd put on my bathing suit, grab the dogs, and we'd all go out and have a shower!