There is a saying that water is life. Without a doubt, no human can survive without water. It is an essential part of human existence. Without it, our society would cease to function. Apart from the fact that we need water to live, many sea creatures serve as food for human consumption. If not exaggerating, about 30% or more of the food we eat comes from the sea. Additionally, crops and plantations can not grow without water.
Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that human existence is deeply tied to water. Although some people also value electricity, humans can still survive without it—though development might be hindered. Electricity and water are not comparable. The significance of water in human life far exceeds that of electricity.
Why am I even writing about this in the first place? After we moved into our new house last year, we initially debated whether to install a borehole or dig a well. Eventually, we decided to dig a well. The reason was that when we called borehole experts to inspect the site and provide a rough estimate, they gave us a figure. However, to my surprise, when they returned two weeks later, they increased the estimate. I felt they were unsure of what they were doing, which is why we opted for a well at that time.
During the rainy season, we were able to enjoy the well water, but now that we are deep into the dry season, the well has completely dried up, with not a single drop of water left. Yesterday, I had to call the Aboki men, who are known for digging wells, to deepen ours. When they arrived, we agreed on a price, and they started digging. They dug for about four hours, but there was no sign of water.
Eventually, they told me that even if they dug another 10 feet, they still wouldn’t reach the water level. That was when I gave up. Although there was no water, I still had to pay them because they had worked hard.
Before now, we had considered installing a solar system for electricity since the government supply has been highly unstable. In fact, we have not had electricity for more than three months. Yesterday, I discussed with my husband what we should do about both water and electricity. Without a doubt, we know that water must be prioritized over electricity. The biggest challenge, however, is securing the funds to tackle these urgent needs—unless one decides to take a loan, which is not always easy to come about. If we decided to take a loan, how about the repayment? As I'm writing this, my husband still has a loan he is servicing on the house.