LEAD IN THE WATER: I've Done This Before

A few weeks ago, I received, courtesy of WASA, a 1-liter capacity water filter. I earned this prize for scoring 170 ppb and 130 ppb on last August's lead sweepstakes.

A few nights later, as I patiently filled my refrigerator water bottles, a liter at a time, I had a flashback, one of those deja vu moments songwriters dream of. I've done this before, I thought. I know I have.

I searched my fading memory bank and suddenly it all came rushing back. Yes, indeed I had done this all before: when I lived in Nigeria in the 1970s. There I filtered my water, for drinking and cooking. I patiently filled bottles to store in the refrigerator.

And now, 30 years later, in the most important city in the most important country in the world (with apologies to Riggs Bank, which has a few apologies of its own to make these days), I find I am again filtering water and storing it in bottles and putting it into the refrigerator. My, my, how far we've come.

Oh and by the way, last Saturday I got a letter from WASA telling me that I might have lead in my water. They offered to test my water.

So I figured why not try again, I might score again and get another Pur filter. Then I can filter and pour with both hands, much more efficient and first world, don't you think? §