Finally!

It’s here! Gingerich Well and Pump came yesterday and ran the water lines into our basement, then Poweshiek Water Association flipped the switch or lifted the handle or whatever it is they do. After more than 100 years of well water, the Wichmann farm is on rural water! I suppose my generation will remember this somewhat like our grandparents recalling when they got electricity or indoor plumbing or their first tractor.

There are some downsides to rural water. The obvious one is the mole run from hell across our back yard. Of course it goes right through my favorite training area. How can you bury a four-inch water line and end up with 12 inches of dirt left over? Guess I can use it as a jump or something until it settles.

The second one is now we’ll have a water bill every month. Since it's just the Farmer and me, no teenagers who take 30 minute showers, I hope it won't be too bad. The only water-sucking appliance we have is the washing machine. No dishwasher. I AM the dishwasher.

The house is the only part of the farm that is hooked up to rural water. The barns, hydrants, etc. are still on well water. The Farmer uses hundreds of thousands of gallons of water for the cattle and filling sprayer tanks and well water is just fine for that.

The good news is NO MORE ORANGE WATER in the house! Well, it wasn’t totally orange, just kind of like weak High C. But the iron content was so high it stained bathroom fixtures in spite of the water softener. It left deposits on my hair and it ruined white laundry. It tasted bad. No, I am not sorry to see it go.

Plus, when the power goes out, we'll still have running water since we won't be dependent on the electric well pump to bring water into the house. You don't know how much you take little things for granted, like being able to flush the toilet or wash your hands, until you can't do them. Honestly, one of the worst parts about being without power for nearly a week back in February '07 wasn't the cold, it was not having any water.

Now if we could just get high-speed internet . . . yeah . . . right . . .