WHBF-TV Quad Cities – Jul 31 5:42 PM
Wyatt Smith, an employee of Iowa American Water Company, was asleep on the couch when his wife returned from her scrapbooking “crop” session last Thursday night. The couple’s three-month old son, Wyatt Junior, was nowhere to be found. A frantic Mrs. Smith called 911 but her call was interrupted by her disoriented husband who got on the line and stated that he thought the infant might be in the vegetable garden behind the Smith residence.
“It’s this dang drought,” Smith said in a telephone interview today. “Working for the water company and all, I’ve tried to be very conscientious about saving water, watering the garden with saved shower and bath water and such. And I was so tired Thursday night, ’cause Junior hasn’t been sleeping well, I think I just forgot he was in the tub of water when I took it out to water the zucchinis like my wife had reminded me I needed to do. I’m just glad the little guy is okay and that my wife is a very forgiving woman.”
During this drought the demand for water is so high that Iowa American Water Company is asking customers to cut back water use.
Iowa American is asking for people to voluntarily limit their water use. They say this isn’t an emergency water shortage but that the plant can’t keep up with the current demand.
“Customers should feel free to bathe their babies, as well as themselves, but maybe every other day instead of daily,” said Lisa Riessen of Iowa American Water. “We’re really looking to ease the demand that our plant has seen by asking people to limit lawn watering primarily, that’s the big use of water in the summer. Recycling bath and shower water is a great way to keep your lawn green without excess consumption.”
Smith was named July Employee of the Month, which earns him the right to park in a reserved space at the plant during the month of August. “Even though Mr. Smith had to re-bathe his son last Thursday after retrieving him from the garden, his efforts in water conservation should serve as an inspiration to us all,” Riessen said.
So, he almost kills his baby son and gets employee of the month for it?
I take your point. I’ve been kicking myself over it, believe me. But he actually seemed fairly content there in the garden. It was a nice night.
Touchee