The Scoop With Coop

The big splash last week was the issue of drinking water or not to drink the water, as was the case.

The fact that you couldn't drink the water and that you couldn't brush your teeth in it - even if it had been boiled - left people wondering what else you shouldn't be doing with their municipal water.

Washing dishes and showering or bathing were two of the biggest concerns that people were raising. While some people went ahead and used the water for these purposes, others opted not to.

It certainly was a big boost for local stores as they very quickly sold out of bottled water. The well on Stanhope Road was also quite busy with long line-ups. Other people opted to visit family or friends in neighbouring communities or on the South Side where residents are on wells to get their water.

It certainly did cause a buzz around town that evening and into the next morning. Fortunately the non-consumption order was short-lived and the water was flowing freely by Friday afternoon.

All this fuss leaves one wondering what would have happened years ago before bottled water hit the stores shelves and coolers. Buying water at a local store when I was growing up was virtually unheard of (and no I'm not that old). You went to the tap for all your water needs without a second thought.

Now people are making a mint on the 'fear of drinking the water' that is instilled into most of us. Water dispensers or water systems are a normal thing in virtually every household.

Ironic isn't it that even though your tax dollars are being spent to treat the water that comes into our homes through the municipal water supply, most people choose not to drink it. Even though it is treated and tested on a regular basis, most people would rather buy their drinking water. This leaves me with one question - how do we know that the water we buy in a store is really any safer?

I guess the main thing is that the municipal water supply is once again safe for washing your dishes and showering or bathing or whatever else you choose to do with it. Things are once again back to normal and the non-consumption order is little more than a drop in the bucket.