Water

Water is a big issue here. With such a hot climate the availability of drinking water is an ongoing challenge. Panama has done well in terms of this challenge and the quality of its drinking water is good. It is the only country in Central/ South America that I have visited where the water in the tap is actually drinkable. Ecuador, where I lived for six years, can only manage to provide water that can be used for washing - drinking water must be bought, or else the water from the tap must be boiled.

Boiling water seems like a straightforward task but there are many reasons why it often doesn't happen:
1. To kill the harmful bacteria water must be boiled for ten minutes. This means that, once brought to the boil, the water must continue to boil for a full ten minutes.
2. In a culture where food is not normally hot, but only warm, it is unusual to find that people will actually boil water for such a long time.
3. Poverty, and the cost of gas or other fuels, means that people are reluctant to use more fuel than is absolutely necessary when it comes to boiling water.
4. Education is a problem and it is difficult to convince people that water is "dirty" when it is transparent, cooling and refreshing.
5. Lack of education means that it can be difficult for people to accept that water that can be used for one thing (washing), should not be used for another (drinking).
6. Chlorine tablets and other purification methods are not always available, especially outside of cities. This means that even those who are prepared to use them, never really get in to the habit of doing so.
7. In a tropical climate bacteria breed at a phenomenal rate meaning that the need for water hygiene is much more urgent here than it is in a colder climate.

This year, in particular, is proving to be a difficult one for those responsible for providing water in Panama. An ongoing drought is meaning that the water table has dropped and wells have run dry. Each afternoon here there are dark clouds in the sky but I have seen no rain since I have come here, other than a few drops on two separate afternoons. The system is creaking and we have been advised in the seminary to prepare for a situation in which water may be cut off. Since I have come here I have had a large bin (an ordinary refust bin) full of water in my shower as a back up source of water.

It is certainly a strange operation trying to shower while leaning over or around the "bin" but it is better to be prepared. When I was here last year the water was cut off several times and being unable to shower in this climate is not fun - in the meantime, let's hope for rain.