Waterlooneys

Our City Government is currently having extensive road clearing operations. Last week, the clearing team was in our area demolishing illegal structures and anything that extends to the road are being removed. Even our small tree right by the gate that provided shade was not spared and had to be chopped off.

The road clearing also targeted water hand pumps that were haphazardly installed right by the sidewalk.

In our neighborhood, it’s no secret that basic utilities like water and electricity are acquired by some illegally. Not judging, but pilferage of electricity and water has become a way of life for most of them. For illegal water connections alone, many were already blacklisted by the local water service provider because of previous offenses.

One of the water pumps was recently removed; it’s still not clear where the local barangay intends to move it but this resulted in some household in our area with no access to water.

One family in particular, which is just right across the street, asked us if they could fetch some water. My mother, God bless her heart—sees no problem in giving some, to the point that she even installed an extra faucet right by the porch.

She had been warned by some relatives, and even by my older brother, that the neighbor might abuse this, but my mom said that she couldn’t turn down a person in need—especially if it’s for something as basic as water.

Yesterday morning, I found my mom shaking and on the verge of tears. When we asked why, she said that on the first day alone, the neighbor had filled up more than fifteen 5-gallon water containers using our water line.

Mom knew she agreed to it, but only because she thought that the neighbor will only be getting water to drink. She didn’t realize that they will eventually fetch water for four families living in one house many times a day! It’s my mom who pays the monthly water bill so she has cause to panic and all the reason to be upset.

Adding to that, the neighbors would leave the whole porch flooded.

We are expecting tension between our families once we put our foot down but we can’t just allow the moochers to go on. We already told mom to turn off the main knob so there will be no water flowing to that faucet. It’s a drastic move, I know, but we don’t want to be slapped with a high water bill.

We were also hoping that with it, the neighbor will get that cue and hopefully make them realize that generosity has boundaries.

My mother, specifically, raised us to be good neighbors because she always says we’ll never know when it’ll be our turn to need something. But goodwill should have its limitations.

It still shocks me as to how some people can take advantage of another’s kindness and genuine generosity just like that.