MARIE LANDAU: TURNING POINTS FOR OLYMPIA ARTESIAN TREASURE >>>

The water flowing from the well on Fourth and Jefferson in Olympia is public. The lot the well is on is private. So it’s a bit of an anomaly, this sacred space: a dirty-looking brown pipe jutting out of the concrete, nestled by a few weeds and cement blocks. From an underground aquifer, water â€" clear, clean and ready for drinking â€" is pushed up through the pipe for anyone and everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t look like much, but its simplicity is part of the appeal â€" it represents an essential, universal need and, like a desert oasis, draws together drinkers that might otherwise remain separate.   

Many organizations in Olympia have their hands in the well. Read about the battle here.

Photo by Marie Landa