Here in the North Coast of the Dominican Republic we have now had less than normal rainfall for close to two years. The past year we’ve had a drought, with only some occasional light rainfall.

When we decided to build the pool we though it a good idea to build cisterns under the terraces, to collect as much rain water as possible from the roofs and balconies of our existing buildings. We thus added, to an older existing cistern of 20,000 gallons (75 m3) in our service building, another 80,000 gallons (300 m3) of cisterns. In addition we have some wells and smaller cisterns with the two villas.

We also have a well which always gives water – except after prolonged dry spells lasting more than 5 months, depending on the quantity of rain before the dry spell. So if we lack rain water we pump from the well. And we have several ponds.

Now, after so many months of drought, the well has fallen dry, and our cisterns are almost empty. We can pump some water from our largest pond to keep the pool filled (of course we filter it first), and for home use we have to order water, which is brought up with a water truck.

What we need is a few good showers, to fill our cisterns – and at the same time, have the well produce water once more. Hopefully we’ll have rain soon! But if not, we won’t be without, thanks to our pond and the water trucks.