Water contamination

Exeter is a great place. Peaceful, clean, green. Although it is a small city, at its edges it just melts into the rolling green Devon moors. It is this clean air and life that is so appealing about Exeter.

The problem is, this clean and green town is neither clean nor green. Though I can't make a proper reference, I have heard tell, that the air here, at least in the center of town, is some of the most badly polluted in England. This is because there is little industry left in the UK, and it is the cars that do the dirty work. Exeter certainly has traffic stagnation aplenty.

So at least the water is clean, right? Normally it is clean enough for me although not for Ahreum, but this week a new and splendid richness has been added to the pristine font of Exeter's North side. Have they decided to put fluoride into the water to strengthen our teeth or enervate our life energy ala Doctor Strangelove's General Jack Riper? No and no.

Without further elusive and wandering prose, the real problem this week is that Exeter's North side water supply has been contaminated by diesel fuel. I guess they were supposed to put a little chlorine in, but somehow they got mixed up. Campus was squarely hit, and after some concern and confusion, I determined that my house was just outside of the redzone. But had I been one block over...

I suppose they would have contacted me right away, but, then again and knowing the spirit of organizations like South West Water, I suspect I would have had to find out in a more pro-active manner.

The resolution from this whole incident, is that I have to start drinking like a medieval man. From now on, my fluid of choice is a well brewed beer.

Once more into the breach,

Ben

P.S. I am sure that South West Water will not take responsibility for this and will try to pass on the costs of the lost water to their customers. I can imagine that to make it less noticeable, the price hike will be done over their entire range of operations.