W3: "A Day Without Water"
Goo's Diary
June 17, 2025
8:00 AM – How the Nightmare Started
This morning, I woke up feeling sticky and tired. I went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth but when I turned on the tap, nothing came out. I tried again. Still dry.
I called the condominium management. They calmly said, “There is no water supply today. Please be patient.”
I looked outside, the sun was blazing, and the air felt hot and dry. I thought about walking to UTAR campus, hoping there might be water there.
9:00 AM – Walked to Campus (without brushing teeth)
I walked all the way to campus without showering or brushing my teeth. My throat was dry. I went straight to the water dispenser and water vending machine but neither of them was working.
I felt instant regret. I should’ve just skipped classes today, at least I wouldn’t have dehydrated myself and wasted energy walking 1km to campus. My breath was awful, so I wore a mask to hide the smell.
When I entered the classroom and talked to my friends, I found out that the entire town had no water supply either. Everyone looked confused and stressed.
12:30 PM – After Class
Our lecturer’s voice was cracked—he looked thirsty too.
After class, I planned to grab a drink and some lunch at the nearby cafeteria, but None of the cafeterias or hawker stalls were open. Even FamilyMart and 7-Eleven had empty shelves. No drinks, no food, just some dry snacks left.
I bought a pack of biscuits and ate slowly while walking back to campus.
2:00 PM – The Pond Scene
Source: Pixels
As I passed the pond in front of campus, I saw a crowd of people surrounding it. One person, in desperation, tried to drink the pond water but was quickly stopped by a security guard.
I went to the toilet, and the smell hit me like a punch. It was disgusting. No water, no flushes.
I held my breath, entered quickly, and thankfully only had to pee. The toilet door creaked like a horror movie. It felt like opening Pandora’s box.
6:00 PM – Back to the Condo
On my way home, I passed the swimming pool and saw people scooping water from it to take showers.
From what I learned in chemistry class, I knew the water wasn’t safe to drink as it contained chlorine. Still, some tried to boil it and used lemons to cover the smell. Others were distilling it with pots and plastic wraps to collect clean water drops.
They looked desperate. I was too. Thirsty doesn't even begin to describe it.
10:30 PM – A Bit of Heaven, Then Disaster
That night, I got lucky and found a coke in the fridge. I drank it slowly, and it felt like heaven.
Still, no shower. I stayed up working on assignments until midnight. Then, when I finally went to the bathroom, the water was back! I grabbed my towel in excitement, ready for a long warm bath.
Just as I turned on the heater... the electricity went out.
“Oh my God,” I sighed.
No water all day, now no power. What a nightmare.
Reflection
Today made me realize how much I have taken clean water for granted. I never realized how important it was to brush my teeth, take a shower, or have a drink of water until I couldn't do any of it. Just one day without water made me feel helpless and uncomfortable. But for many people in parts of Africa, this is not just one day. It is their everyday reality. They walk long distances to collect only a few liters of water, often not even clean. What I experienced was only a small glimpse of the struggles they face daily. I am lucky, and I will not take that for granted again.
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