In the height of summer in the hot and humid Mid-Atlantic, having access to water is an absolute necessity. Were it not for a longshot successful attempt at repairing a 48-year-old water valve, this week over 100,000 residents in southern Prince George’s County, Maryland would have been faced with the dire reality of being without water for up to five days.
Preparing for such an emergency necessitates time, money and transportation. After the announcement of the intended shut down, many nearby stores sold out of bottled water, leaving little options for residents lacking adequate transportation, or for those who are home bound. People who could find water were faced with a large, unplanned expense. Purchasing bottled water for drinking is, in and of itself, expensive. Purchasing bottled water for five days’ worth of hygiene, cooking and drinking is a significant expense for most of the country, let alone for the 15% of Prince George’s County residents who are considered food insecure.
By every right, this emergency could have become a crisis. Thankfully, we were spared this experience, but with an aging public works infrastructure it is not hard to imagine facing similar circumstances in the future.
Situations like these remind us of the importance of water to health and of the critical role the Capital Area Food Bank plays in tapping its extensive logistics network during emergencies and natural disasters. After the public was notified of the water outage, the Capital Area Food Bank with help from Harris Teeter responded by providing significant donations to those in need. Although the disaster was averted, the Capital Area Food Bank still delivered 21 pallets of water and ice to 7 different cooling stations in DC and Maryland to hydrate our communities in need amidst last week’s heat wave.
Whether it is a disaster or just the day-to-day summer hear, the food bank, its partner agencies and its donors are here to make a difference for those who need it most.