Voice of the People - September 16, 2007 | Rock Hill Herald

Use some imagination on water-main repair

A recent front-page story reported on the delay in repairs of the broken main that affects a school. Apparently thousands of gallons of water were being lost. The children seem to be at the center of the decision to fix it.

In reading the article, an inference could be drawn that there is no water shortage, and all the hype in the newspaper is just that. If I were a child, I would think just that very thought because the water was flowing without any attempt to corral it.

However a wonderful opportunity was missed by failure to repair immediately, and that was to show the children that a water crisis does exist and that we must suffer a little (they would have had to go without running water for a day) in order that we have water for tomorrow and thereafter.

Yes, as a friend explained, the law states that no school can be opened without running water.

Is there not room for an exception and a learning experience? Each child could have brought his or her own drinking water, and the school could have provided some for flushing as needed. Maybe the district could have had only half a day of school.

So, if there is a shortage I would think that some of the great minds that run our local governments and schools could have come up with a solution.

Perhaps they could not think of a solution because two schools in the county continue to water lawns because they have their own wells. Have they heard that their watering will reduce the aquifer and take water from others who are dependent on wells for drinking water? They should have taken the water from their lawns and given it to the school that needed to be closed for the broken main repair, and everyone would have been happy (except the school lawn.)

Elizabeth Mixon

Hickory Grove