We just returned from a trip to Texas where our daughter Kate Lawn lives outside Houston with her family. Her family now includes three Eagle Scouts, dad and the two boys. Two years ago we visited and attended Anthony’s Honor Court; last Sunday we attended Drew’s Honor Court. We were so glad to celebrate their achievements.

One of the elements of the ceremony was a slide show of Drew’s scouting years beginning as a Tiger Cub. We saw Drew at campouts, hikes, rafting and even scuba diving. It struck me how often water was involved. Drinking water had to be arranged for campouts, streams were crossed on hikes, and for those water sports the boys had to be in the water. They had to learn how to swim of course, and they needed to know the importance of safe drinking water, and water safety when in the water. It was wonderful to watch this record of his growing up, of his participation in Scout projects, and in Scout projects in the community.

I was especially happy to see that his required Eagle project was planning, organizing and building a tiny free library for children that now lives in the Town Hall where parents and children can find a book to entertain themselves while business is attended to. They can even take the book home because the sight of the tiny free library has generated donations from others.

As part of our celebratory visit we took a family trip to Houston and the historic Cistern in the 160 acre Buffalo Bayou Park, an area that is once again becoming an active waterfront with hiking and bike trails, a dog park, native plantings, the resurrection of a Lost Lake and pontoon boat tours that travel into the downtown area on the bayou. Part of the renovations include flood abatement measures. Un-Houston-like temperatures were in the 40s and windy so we didn’t explore the whole park, but we did attend the video art installation called Rain: Magdalena Fernandez in the Houston Cistern.

The Cistern was one of the city’s underground reservoirs and was built in 1926 for fire suppression and for drinking water. This 87,500 square foot concrete space has 221 elegant concrete columns that are 25 feet tall. At full capacity it holds 15 million gallons of water. It operated for decades but an irreparable leak forced the city to close it in 2007. It still has a low level of water in it. Fortunately for us the Buffalo Bayou Partnership saved it and has turned it into a venue for art installations.

RAIN created by Magdalena Fernandez uses the Perpetuum Jazzile vocal group, using only body percussion to create the sound of rain, soft and torrential, using their snapping fingers and slapping hands while lights flash and move among the columns. We entered the Cistern with a guide who prepared us for the deep dark and the occasional loud booms that reverberated in my chest interrupting the splashing sound of rain from time to time. It was a mysterious experience.

After our summer drought the sound of that rain was just wonderful. Water seemed to be a theme of our travels. We flew over the eastern seaboard to change planes in Baltimore. We recognized Manhattan surrounded by water and tried to name all the local rivers, and pick out where friends live on the shore of Long Island. When we got to the coastal area around Maryland we saw many little islands, and were frustrated at not knowing anything about them

When we flew home we went through Orlando which has no coastline, but it does have many bodies of waters, lakes and ponds, and what appear to be large man-made lagoons with regular shapes. The cliché is “water water everywhere and not a drop to drink” and I couldn’t help wondering how much of the water below us was drinkable. The December issue of Smithsonian magazine in my lap told the story of how the drinking water in Flint, Michigan was revealed as having poisonous levels of lead and how difficult it had been to get the problem recognized and how expensive it will be to correct it. The story about Flint ended with the information that in 2016 the Natural Resources Defense Council identified 5300 water systems in the U.S. that do not comply with federal lead standards.

We are fortunate that here in Massachusetts we have close oversight of our water systems. I am proud to say that my daughter, Doctor Betsy as she is known in the family, is responsible for tracking the water quality of the Quabbin Reservoir, and the underground Norumbega Storage Facility which is located northeast of Worcester which supply water for the 61 communities served by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.

Here in Greenfield we can be grateful that the Water Distribution and Water Facilities Divisions of the DPW monitor our water, and the infrastructure of the water system. They make all the information about the water and system online  where it is easy to see that we are in compliance with all regulations. The website also includes contact information if we need a (free) water analysis or have questions.

As I prepare the holiday feasts I am grateful for the gift of clean water. In this holy season I send you all my wishes for a healthy and joyous year.

Between the Rows  December 24, 2016