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Interesting thought. I lived in Zambia for 6 years without running water and we got used to it. Fortunately for us, we had a gardner that spent half his day

Interesting thought. I lived in Zambia for 6 years without running water and we got used to it. Fortunately for us, we had a gardner that spent half his day filling up our water drums... My point is: I have been there and at the time didn't think much of it. But after living in the USA for 16+ years now, I can't even imagine being without running water. So, is it a right or a luxury? I don't know... 17 years ago, I would have said luxury but now, my answer would be it's a right...

marquis 15y ago
>gardner that spent half his day filling up our water drums Would you not consider this a luxury? I expect your gardner did not have someone filling up his drums waiting at home for him. I've been in natural disaster areas where water and power weren't available, we made do but it also became what we spent 1/3 of the day managing around (hauling water, getting things done before nightfall etc).
freehunter 15y ago
Right vs luxury I think is a false dichotomy. There exists a third classification: public utility. According to my apartment complex, incoming water is a public utility, and as long as you pay property taxes they have no right to shut it off. In my state (or area, I don't know), it's illegal to charge for incoming water. They can charge for outgoing because sewage access is not a public utility. This only goes for places where it is illegal to drill a well.
JWLong 15y ago
Most people can hardly imagine life without their iPhone... but that hardly makes cell-service a right. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, Arkansas. We had a well, no central heat-and-air, and a septic system in our back yard. This worked just fine. We had the same quality of life (aside from freezing in the cold winters) that everyone in large cities had. The difference is that we owned the equipment to take care of ourselves, instead of the local government.

marquis 15y ago

>gardner that spent half his day filling up our water drums Would you not consider this a luxury? I expect your gardner did not have someone filling up his drums waiting at home for him. I've been in natural disaster areas where water and power weren't available, we made do but it also became what we spent 1/3 of the day managing around (hauling water, getting things done before nightfall etc).

freehunter 15y ago

Right vs luxury I think is a false dichotomy. There exists a third classification: public utility. According to my apartment complex, incoming water is a public utility, and as long as you pay property taxes they have no right to shut it off. In my state (or area, I don't know), it's illegal to charge for incoming water. They can charge for outgoing because sewage access is not a public utility. This only goes for places where it is illegal to drill a well.

JWLong 15y ago

Most people can hardly imagine life without their iPhone... but that hardly makes cell-service a right. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, Arkansas. We had a well, no central heat-and-air, and a septic system in our back yard. This worked just fine. We had the same quality of life (aside from freezing in the cold winters) that everyone in large cities had. The difference is that we owned the equipment to take care of ourselves, instead of the local government.