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Water, water, everywhere. . .


LankyStreak

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Saturday afternoon was lovely, warm and sunny on the K&A.  We were at one of our favourite moorings in the middle of Wiltshire at least half a mile from the nearest house or farm, and I was pottering on the gunnels with a mop.  Along the towpath walked a father and little daughter (aged 6 maybe) with their dog.  They stopped by the boat and the girl very politely said their walk had taken longer than they expected and could I possibly provide some water for her dog because he was thirsty?

"Yes of course," I replied, took her bottle and went below to fill it.

When I returned with the water the father said: "While we're here could you refill my bottle too, and my daughter's?"

"No problem at all," and I went below to fill their bottles.  By the time I returned the rest of their group, about 12 of them, were just walking round the corner.

"We're just topping up on drinking water," said the father to his friends.  They all immediately reached into their rucksacks and produced empty bottles for me to fill from my boat's water tank.

"You do realise I'm not on mains water don't you?" I asked, half sarcastically and half jokingly.  They all stared at me blankly.  I really think no one had stopped to wonder where the water I was dispensing was coming from.  After all, water comes from a tap, right?  And I clearly had a tap on my boat so why couldn't they all have water?

I filled all their bottles and it was probably only 10 litres or so, a very small amount, but nevertheless that's 10 litres closer to me having to take the boat to the water point to refill.  I was initially happy to help the girl without a moment's hesitation but when I had a group of walkers holding out their empty bottles I suddenly felt a little less generous because these people hadn't stopped to consider that this water was coming from my own limited water tank.  Please tell me, am I a tad grumpy and unreasonable?

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7 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

they were walking on a hot day - they should be prepared to pay the price if they haven't planned properly.  

Yes. For one person to run out of drinking water is just unfortunate; for the whole party of ramblers to have drunk their bottles dry is sheer bad planning. They were lucky to have chosen such a benevolent boater, as I suspect that not all would have extended such kindness.

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29 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

they were walking on a hot day - they should be prepared to pay the price if they haven't planned properly.  

Absolutely! And the ultimate price too, m'lud! My only reservation is for the poor Sustrans staff who, I suppose, will have to clear away all the bleached walker and dog skeletons littering the cycle track. ;)

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My mum used to say generosity is a lucky charm.  She was right.

And, those walkers didn't go away thinking what a soft touch you were, they went on their way with an enhanced opinion of canal boaters.  All for a couple of gallons of water.   

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Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

 

From the Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

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Jerome Klapka Jerome allowed for such an eventuality in "Three Men In A Boat" ......

We found that we didn’t have water and stopped at Hambledon lock. We took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper‘s house to ask for some. George was our spokesman. He put on a smile and said: “Oh, please, could you give us a little water?”

«Certainly,» answered the old gentleman, — «take as much as you want, and leave the rest

«Thank you so much,” murmured George, looking about him, —  «Where — where do you keep it?»

‘It’s always in the same place, my boy,»was the answer, — «just behind you.»

«I don’t see it,» said George, turning round.

“Why, where are your eyes?” was the man’s comment as he pointed up and down the river, — «There’s enough water to see, isn’t there?»

«Oh,» exclaimed George, because he understood at last”, —  «but we can’t drink the river, you know!”

«No, but you can drink some of it,» answered the old fellow, — «It is what I have drunk for the last 15 years.”

George looked at him and said that his appearance did not seem a good advertisement for the brand; and he would prefer water out of a pump.



Источник: Jerome K. Jerome. We declined to drink the river (adapted) http://englishstory.ru/jerome-k-jerome-we-declined-to-drink-the-river-in-english-adapted.html#ixzz4fHxTOEZI

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6 hours ago, Sir Nibble said:

The only water I considered potable on my boat was bottled and I would simply not have enough on board to hand out to those who didn't bring enough. Would you be answerable for the quality of drinking water supplied by you?

Whilst I understand your cautionary note about being answerable for its quality, I see little point in having a system comprising potable water pipework, potable water pump and accumulator and a tank in stainless steel, potable water plastic or painted with potable water paint, filling it through a potable water hose from a tap providing potable water and then not using that system to provide potable water for personal use as intended. 

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40 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Whilst I understand your cautionary note about being answerable for its quality, I see little point in having a system comprising potable water pipework, potable water pump and accumulator and a tank in stainless steel, potable water plastic or painted with potable water paint, filling it through a potable water hose from a tap providing potable water and then not using that system to provide potable water for personal use as intended. 

You could keep the Hose in one place,then it would not need to be Portable?

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14 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Whilst I understand your cautionary note about being answerable for its quality, I see little point in having a system comprising potable water pipework, potable water pump and accumulator and a tank in stainless steel, potable water plastic or painted with potable water paint, filling it through a potable water hose from a tap providing potable water and then not using that system to provide potable water for personal use as intended.

And if those conditions aren't met?

13 hours ago, cereal tiller said:

You could keep the Hose in one place,then it would not need to be Portable?

Should have gone to specsavers

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16 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Whilst I understand your cautionary note about being answerable for its quality, I see little point in having a system comprising potable water pipework, potable water pump and accumulator and a tank in stainless steel, potable water plastic or painted with potable water paint, filling it through a potable water hose from a tap providing potable water and then not using that system to provide potable water for personal use as intended. 

you would guarantee your water for consumption by third parties then?

you seem to have missed the point that all components of the system you described should be cleaned and sterilised on a regular basis; how often do you do that (yes, including the tap and the hose you use for filling)?

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26 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

you would guarantee your water for consumption by third parties then?

you seem to have missed the point that all components of the system you described should be cleaned and sterilised on a regular basis; how often do you do that (yes, including the tap and the hose you use for filling)?

It's probably enough to say 'that it will not be as clean tap water as it has been stored in a tank, but I drink it without any problems, do you still want some?'  Though I would make an exception if I thought it was for a baby and would offer to boil a small amount if they wished.

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1 hour ago, Murflynn said:

you would guarantee your water for consumption by third parties then?

you seem to have missed the point that all components of the system you described should be cleaned and sterilised on a regular basis; how often do you do that (yes, including the tap and the hose you use for filling)?

You seem to have missed my opening line which reads "Whilst I understand your cautionary note about being answerable for its quality..",  so I'd be offering no such guarantee either.

I treat my tank and all pipework annually with Elsan Fresh water tank cleaner and I rinse and flush both the BW tap and my hose before each fill. I judge that sufficient and t seems to work for me (ymmv). Of course, others may not choose to drink their fresh water, and that's fine, but I still see it as a bit pointless to go to all the trouble and expense of building in a potable fresh water system only to treat it as non-potable. It's an observation, not a direction - everyone must make their own mind up. 

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