Have You Seen a Coyote Lately?

Have you looked at, smelled, tasted your city water from the tap? About two years ago I noticed a water pressure change in my kitchen faucet. My super told me it was probably caused by an accumulation in my spray faucet. When I removed it, it was clogged with a dark brown sediment. Ychh! I've lived in the same apartment for 30 years, in a nice building.

New water main lines were being installed in my area and a great deal of construction was going on. So I looked to that as the cause. But the sediments are still appearing; my faucet clogs monthly.

I've read about the deterioration of the city's drinking water supply, once a source of pride; about Chriptosperidium and Giardia. (Giardia can infect our birds and can be a cause of feather plucking.) I've read about some expensive apartment buildings putting in their own water filtration systems. And I keep checking with the super. He admitted that the building will shut down the water this summer for a couple of days to flush out all the water lines. I know we have our water tank cleaned at least once a year (by law).

So I have wondered how to clean up the water for my birds. I don't seem to be affected -- yet. Should I buy a Brita? Boil water and store for my birds? I read that water should be boiled in glass and stored in glass, since some plastics will leach out chemicals into the water. Bottled water? Don't buy spring water, I read; it contains bacteria.

It seems another ecological tragedy that our water is suspect and that we have to come up with our own solutions to protect ourselves and our pets. A city water filtration system has been discussed, but with a very big price tag for taxpayers. And if I did choose to buy bottled water suitable for my birds, then I would be adding to the plastic waste. Although we do recycle in New York City, how do I know for sure that these bottles would be recycled. Most plastics are processed from oil ... so we keep using our fossil fuel to make the plastic to buy the water ... because we cannot adequately enforce clean water in our reservoirs. I know, I know, the geese at the reservoir were unexpected.

But as we wantonly destroy wild habitats, destroying the very resources we need for our own survival, the migrating and nesting birds and animals will have to live in human habitated areas. Have you seen a coyote lately? You will!