One man’s potty break caused eight million gallons of purified water down the drain. Newspapers reported on June 21, 2011that the whole reservoir in the US city of Portland, Oregon was emptied after a man was caught on a security camera urinating in it. Was it an accident or a mad game?

Why was the reservoir drained?

BBC reported this urinating and evacuating incident stating that the 21-year-old man who was caught by the security cameras admitted that he felt “guilty” after urinating in the reservoir in a US city in the state of Oregon. The culprit named Josh Seater admitted to News Channel 8 that he was a little drunk when he decided to urinate in reservoir. He stated that he had been drinking with his friends and thought that the reservoir was a sewage treatment plant. He said he felt guilty instantly, and then only the security guards arrived.

The officials, who were shocked at this drastic incident when they found this out through the security camera, had to decide to take the drastic action of flushing down some eight million gallons of treated drinking water and empty the uncovered reservoir. 

The controversial issue

When the news spread far and wide, the whole city was facing a great question should such a vast amount of already purified water and was ready to go directly to homes had to be dumped.

David Shaff, a water bureau official in Oregon’s biggest city Portland, after flushing away 32 million liters of water, told the reporters, “Nobody wants to drink pee, and I don’t want to deal with the 100 people who would be unhappy that I’m serving them pee in their water.”

However, the newspaper “The Daily Telegraph” reported quoting some health experts that the incident would not have caused any harm to people, who are supplied drinking water from the reservoir, since the urine would have vastly diluted.

David Shaff, an administrator at the Portland Water Bureau, defended the decision to empty the lake, which is said to cost the taxpayers more than $36,000, saying, “It is not an overreaction. What you have to deal with here is the ‘yuck factor’ that may lead to further more serious troubles. Imagine how many people would be saying ‘I made orange juice with that water this morning’”. He accepted, however, that the reservoirs are drained twice a year for cleaning, and workers have found animal carcasses, paint cans, construction material, fireworks debris and even the plastic bags people use to scoop up after their dogs.

Portland officials had to decide so as they did not want to send city residents water laced with urine, although urine is sterile and it was so diluted that it posed little risk.

City Commissioner Randy Leonard, who is in charge of the water bureau, was more worried about potential public health risk, citing about the possibility of chlamydia or AIDS from blood in urine.

 Was it an overreaction?

Some people in the city, as well as in the suburbs and around the world, called the flush an overreaction, especially since birds and animals such as ducks contribute waste routinely and, sometimes, die in the water.

One comment posted on The Oregonian’s Website said, “More than 1 billion people worldwide do not have reliable access to clean drinking water, and here we are tossing away nearly 8 million gallons of water just to appease the ignorant residents who believe their tap water will otherwise turn yellow.”

Source: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13874089)

Save water, please

Modern world is aware of the scarcity of potable water. Statistics state that worldwide, more than 900 million people lack reliable access to safe water that is free from disease and industrial waste and nearly forty percent of the world population does not have access to adequate sanitation facilities.  Water scarcity is growing all the more as the greatest public health crisis.

Have you ever met with a friend, family member, who after you left, you were totally wiped out. That person is probably what I call an energy vampire. They take all our energy and leave us totally drained. Usually this is a person, who has so many things going on, and they feel they have to burden you; or perhaps they are so negative, no matter how you try to “paint a pretty picture” they just shoot down every idea. Well if this sounds familiar then you have come in contact with an “energy vampire”, and you know exactly what I mean. Sometimes the drain can be so severe that it can lead to depression, or feelings of being totally overwhelmed, and out of control; and unless you recognize this, you can go in complete circle and truly believe it is all depression.

I find the best way to deal with such people is to avoid them, but sometimes that is not practical, but the realization that a particular someone is giving off negative energy, or is an “energy vampire” will help prevent such an invasion.  Try to keep your positive energy flowing to do this; you must focus on goods things, smile, and be cheerful. Do not pay much attention to what they are saying or doing. Never let, the person affect you, once they have, that is when they start sapping your energy, You MUST put up your shields!!!!

If you are going to visit someone who you know has that affect on you, then you can prepare your self. If you meditate, do so before coming into contact with the “energy vampire”, if you exercise or jog, again do so; by doing what you enjoy and getting your mind set on positive things, and surrounds you with the positive energy that surround you. By taking action before the invasion starts will help ward off any drain of negative influence, or being overwhelmed by it.

Positive Energy is fantastic, it helps you be creative, fun and loving. When you are surrounded by positive energy, everything flows much easier, your thoughts are in prospective, and your day mores along nicely and your feel completely balanced.

Using positive energy is very much like positive thinking. You can make yourself feel good by using affirmative words. A simple sentence like “ I feel great” or “today is going to be a great day” can and will have a large impact on you day.

So think positive and avoid those “energy vampires”.