About a week ago I was having a bad day. My neck was killing me, I had a migraine, my WiFi was down, and I had spent over an hour working with customer service to resolve the issue. Drained , I decided to wash my dishes, eat some lunch and take a nap After waking up, I went to the kitchen sink, flicked the switch on my PUR water filter and turned on the faucet. Nothing came out. My water had been shut off. When the water crisis hit Flint, Mich., four years ago, I kept paying my water bills. I had become accustomed to unexplained rashes and minor skin irritations . I stopped taking showers longer than 10 minutes. I have not washed my hair at home in years, because I know others who have experienced hair loss and scalp issues. And I kept paying that bill. As time stretched on I became more and more unwilling to pay for water I was afraid to drink or even let touch my skin.So I stopped. The accumulated amount had been piling up for more than six months, until it reached about 1,500 Although I felt bitter, I told myself I would mail in a check with the minimum amount to keep the water on.In the rush of the week, I had managed to mail out tax payment checks but had left the water bill check sitting on the table by my front door. Now they had shut off my water. I grabbed my coat and wallet and headed out in the rain to the city's water department. I am lucky, because I have money in my account and a working car with gas in the tank.With about 30 minutes to close of business I parked and ran inside the city building to pay my minimum fee. At the counter, the employee told me (in a very practiced.neutral tone) my earliest reconnection would be in a week. Again, I am fortunate: I can afford a hotel;I can drive to a nearby suburb and stay with family; I do not have small children or any medical condition that requires I have daily access to running water.