On Monday morning, Adrian Chiles found only a dribble of water from his tap. The water company's website mentioned a problem being resolved, but by Tuesday evening, there was no water at all. Chiles checked the website again, which informed him that a "specialist team" had located a large burst pipe causing no water, low pressure, and flooding. He found the term "specialist team" irritating, wondering what a generalist team would be.
Haircut Without a Shower
Chiles had his hair cut that afternoon and desperately needed a shower to avoid an itchy night. His mood worsened when two American students from South Dakota, staying with him, complained about the water but soon pitied the UK for its backwardness. At 10pm, Chiles went to the garage for bottled water, joining a long queue of people carrying as much as they could.
Stoic Neighbours
What struck Chiles most was that no one in the queue showed surprise or annoyance. There were no eye rolls, tuts, or complaints about the water company. He describes this as a lack of "Dunkirk spirit" and concludes that this resigned acceptance is the new normal. Back home, Chiles rinsed his hair with a small bottle of Buxton sparkling water while one American watched in fascination before going to bed.
Chiles reflects on the shame of the situation, lamenting that such outages are now met with quiet resignation rather than outrage. He is a Guardian columnist.
