Don't Drink The Water

Care about the environment? Read on . . .

During the summer of 1980, while pregnant with my last son, I formed a citizen advocacy and activist group called the Better Understanding Committee. Those in power referred to us as “BUC”, ostensibly because they felt we were ‘bucking the system’…We successfully defeated a highly dangerous and flawed proposal by the Ontario government and a private industry, to site a hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility in a quarry setting on the Niagara Escarpment.

 

Through this battle, I became friends with Lois Gibbs of Love Canal fame and Margherita Howe, an Order of Canada recipient and the environmental leader of Operation Clean, Niagara on the Lake. The goal of these groups was to get both Canadian and American governments to clean up the Niagara River and to honour the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

 

 My husband is Irish and when he moved to Canada with his brother they brought along their band, The Bailey Brothers.  In 1987, they collaborated to produce a fund raising record for Operation Clean, entitled: “Don’t Drink The Water”. The flip side was called, “Frankly Speaking” © 1987 Bailey Bros., a parody of the Environmental officials we were all dealing with on a day to day basis. 

Joining forces for the benefit of clean water was a no brainer...

 

 

 

DON’T DRINK THE WATER

 

 © 1987 Bailey Bros.

 

Once known as Upper Canada, a piece of God’s Country

Niagara on the Lake to all, is not just what it seems

There’s something wrong in this small town, that’s becoming common place

They’re letting people carry on, won’t tell them to their face

 

REFRAIN

Don’t drink the water, Niagara’s not the same

Don’t drink the water. It can only cause you pain.

 

There’s an evil living under them, just beneath their feet

Covered up with secrecy, hidden in their drink

It can’t be proved, it can’t be changed, as the damage is all done

Our only hope in telling you, is to stop another one.

 

REFRAIN

 

Now you might think I’m silly, or even crying wolf

But all we know for certain, is the future holds the truth

I’m not singing for the money, it’s only for the cause

I’d only wish you’d listen, that you might change the laws.

 

REFRAIN

 

They’re buying it in bottles, hauling it in trucks

Saved up all their money, and built an aqueduct

But all this is frustration to the families in the town

Cause the water that they’re getting is from the same polluted ground!

 

REFRAIN

Don’t drink the water, Niagara’s not the same

Don’t drink the water. It can only cause you pain.

 

 

 

Flip side. . .

 

 

 

FRANKLY SPEAKING  © 1987 Bailey Bros. 

 

 

Comedic take on the Ministry of the Environment of the 1980’s here in Ontario and federally…

 

Pardon me for mentioning, but I fear it bears telling

The water you’re drinking

May be a chemical cocktail.

The answer to pollution

Is dilution’s the solution.

This is what they tell us, it’s what they’d like us to believe…

 

CHORUS

There’s hope in what we’re doing

Cause I’m doing it don’t you see

I’m not doing it just for you

I’m doing it for me

There’s hope in what we’re doing

Cause I’m doing it don’t you see

I’m doing it for all of us

So the future can be free.

 

Scene One " Phone rings…

 

“Hello, Environment Department- YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, WE’LL MAKE IT SOUND GOOD!

Can I help you?

Your tap water’s purple? Oh, that’s just a new water treatment to help conserve the water. It stops people from drinking it.

You’re welcome. Goodbye.”

 

“Hey Shirley, guess what colour the water is today. Remember last week when the water was orange and they fished that drunk out of the reservoir. I believe they had to bury him in a lead coffin and used four fort lift trucks as pallbearers.

You can bet that wasn’t an open casket affair! Boil up the Perrier and we’ll have a cup of coffee.”

 

They covered up the garbage dump and zoned it a park.

Told the parents of the children they’re safe there after dark

What’s lurking beneath them

Will you tell me if you can

Will they grow up to be normal

Will it mean the end of man?

 

CHORUS

 

Scene Two " Phone rings…

 

“Hello. Environment Department - HAVE WASTE WE”LL BURY!

Can I help you?

What’s glowing? Ed’s Landfill and Real Estate Consortium?

Well I suppose it could be radioactive waste. but it’s probably just a flock of seagulls with flash lights out looking for a late night snack. Ha..ha..ha…No, I’m not trying to be funny missus. That’ just a little environmental humour.

Yes, I agree, it is serious.

You say that your mother-in-law went up to the dump for a look and now her head’s glowing too?

Well, you could always buy her a lamp shade, tell her it’s a hat, stand her in the corner and sell the excess energy to Hydro One.

 

The half buried steel drums? Oh they’re probably  just a roving Trinidadian Steel band setting up for a concert.

 

Ummm, we’re very busy here, but I’ll try to get someone on it right away. Goodbye.”

 

(I’d better call the x-ray lab and see if we can borrow their lead aprons again)

 

The making and disposal of chemicals we use

Is it our responsibility

Or someone else’s to abuse,

Are you one who turns a handle

To release a harmful waste,

Is it concern for the future

Or the job with which your faced.

 

CHORUS

 

Scene Three " Phone rings…

 

“Hello. Environment Department, PC Been here. That’s Been, the ‘N’ is silent as in numb. Can I help you?

A chemical spill? The river’s on fire! What river? The Niagara River? Aww… let me get my map. Shirley, run down to the car quick and get the map out of the glove compartment.

Now, the chemical spill, is it firm or runny? What I need to know is whether we’ll need shovels or mops. Okay, we’re on the way. Shirley, put on your lipstick. We’ve got a job to do. You get your bucket and mop and I’ll get the rubber dingy!"

Reviews

[CecilA]

I remember seeing tons of dead fish along the shores of Lake Erie when I went to visit relatives there when I was younger. The stench was overwhelming. My Grandfather Freer said then "This is just the beginning of consequences of industrial pollution."

Well written and so relevent to our world today. Fantastic results of the campaign. We need to continue because there's is too much of the same going on today. Don't the people incharge of toxic waste realize that their decisions and consequent actions are harmful to themselves and their families too. I just don't understand them.

Thanks for this inspiring story.

[Gray Witch]

My eldest daughter Meegan was 5 when we defeated the proposal.... She is now 37 and things unfortunately haven't changed that much ...

[Vamphrie Maximillian Wh..]

Wow.

[Gray Witch]

I must find a way to post the MP3 of the songs so I can link it to this forum...

[Ahmad Cox]

Oh yeah I remember you said you would post this.