Tate Williams sprays vinegar water on the spout of an orange 10-gallon jug, the sun burning down on him on a 106-degree afternoon in Tucson. He drains what little water is left, sprays and wipes the inside of the container, and pours three bags of ice into it. Then, he carries a seven-gallon water jug out from his car to the water station and fills it to the top with water, zip ties the white lid and puts a lock on it.
It’s a routine he goes through almost daily during the hottest months of the year, as he makes sure the water station outside of Ben’s Bells in downtown Tucson has fresh water for the unhoused community and for anyone walking past who might need to rehydrate. It’s one of almost 30 stations throughout the city set up at churches, private businesses and even some homes through the Agua Para El Pueblo project.
Agua Para El Pueblo was created by a group of mutual aid organizers who saw a need for more access to clean, cold drinking water in Tucson, especially in summer months when temperatures consistently reach more than 100 degrees…