‘W’ IS FOR…

‘W’ is for…  Wimbledon, Wozniacki, Watson, Wawrinka? True, but ‘W’ is also for WATER.

If you can’t bear to read anything other than Wimbledon and all associated subjects, then think water at Wimbledon. Players glug their way through bottles of it. Spectators use the taps placed around the grounds to refill their own water bottles. Ponds, a water feature, rain… All present at Wimbledon.

The current issue of our local water company’s splendid magazine features the repair and maintenance team who describe themselves as ‘motivated problem solvers.’ They change damaged manhole covers, repair collapsed sewers, connect new housing developments to the sewerage network, and keep an eye on the weather, as a prolonged rainy spell can cause problems.

A coastal officer describes her efforts at maintaining clean beaches and a clean sea… Then there are homely tips: Children are recommended to drink 1.6 litres of water each day; it’s better to soak garden plants once a week rather than dribble water round them daily; wipes should never be flushed down the loo. And the water cycle – in particular how, when and where it impacts the water company – makes for intriguing reading.

‘A nagging wife is like a dripping tap.’ Ouch! That’s a proverb from the Bible. Here’s a more cheery one: ‘Good news… is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.’ One for Wimbledon winners, perhaps. Water is life. We shouldn’t take it – or the people who keep it coming to us – for granted.