Waterman

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A waterman or waterwoman is, in the Ariddian Isles, a person who brings water round to every home in the morning - a job similar to that of milkmen in other countries.


History

This practice has its roots in the small town of Ewela, in the suburbs of Rêvane, Ariddia. It began in 1905, when the population in an area of the town cooperated to find employment for four local unemployed people. They set up a retailers cooperative, with the four watermen/-women buying a great number of bottles cheaply and distributing them every morning. Their customers obtained marginally cheaper water, and the waterpeople made a small profit. The venture also strengthened a sense of local community.

The idea spread to a few areas and towns, but was limited to local initiatives for almost a hundred years. That changed in 2001 when Prime Secretary Serge Lheureux declared that the practice would be implemented as a national, government-funded policy, thereby ensuring that the whole population would have access to sufficient drinking water. Every person was thus entitled to two free litres a day, but could purchase more (cheaply) directly from the waterman.

With the phasing out of money, water became free anyway, but watermen continued to cycle round their neighbourhood, depositing outside each home one two-litre bottle of water per resident.

Watermen today

  • In the People's Democratic Social Republic of Ariddia, the practice continues as described above. Being a waterman is often not a full-time job, unless one covers a large area. In some parts of the country, local residents take it in turns to be waterman or -woman for their neighbourhood, in keeping with the national custom of communal solidarity and cooperation.
  • In West Ariddia, the State ceases to be responsible for providing this service during the capitalist secession. In most of the country, it has ceased to exist. However, some communities do organise their own waterman service in some way or other. Some businesses also provide this service. Unlike Ariddia, this service is generally not free.
  • In North-West Ariddia, the State provides this service: watermen are paid by the government.