Clear Water Does Not Equal Pure Water: Rainy Days in Dominica

This post is to report that tonight I finally had the opportunity to use my SteriPen. I'm not too happy to report why however.

I have had an upper respiratory infection a.k.a "nasty cough" for the past several days which I attribute to a dirty/broken water purifier at the one water fountain I use the most on campus. It's located right outside the 4th semester classroom and I have used it to fill up my water bottles before heading home on many occassions. The other day the water coming out of the FILTERED fountain was Brown. Needless to say I and my classmates were more than perturbed because...how long has this filtered been defective?

We are in the heart of rainy season now and although our water is brown on most days, it takes much less than dirt to cause all sorts of GI/other illnesses. What you don't see CAN hurt you. Today I ran my faucet for a good 5 minutes, turned it off, and when I came back there was a small larvae of what I suspect is a mosquito, sitting in my sink. (Thank you undergrad thesis and medical school for fueling the well-informed paranoia about infectious diseases!)


"Oh Hello! I just came out of your faucet to greet you!"


My water was Clear. Put two and two together and I am no suspicious of All tap water even if it is clear. I guess during rainy season anything is fair game.

So tonight I have prepared over a liter of water to drink through out the night (filled with coughing) that I anticipate. Thank god for technology and UV light. How many more days do I have here?

Count down: 80 Days Left on the Rock!