Drinking wild spring water brings me great joy and is one of my greatest passions in life. I love spring water! I have been known to drive to another state on a regular basis to collect my spring water in glass bottles. I have visited and drank from wild springs from all over the country. It is something almost like a spiritual experience when you travel to a spring and drink the water directly from the source. Theological science teaches us that your prayers are amplified when you cast them on the water. Where there is water there is life. The only thing that can sprout a seed is water. There is something magical about water.
Good Spring Water is Pure
Apart from the water we get from eating raw plants, the best water to drink comes from a deep, cold, free-flowing, wild spring. This type of water is probably the purest thing you can possibly put into your body. Fresh spring water collected directly from the source is literally living, is clean and is highly structured by nature. The process water goes through making its long way from the deep bowels of the earth all the way to the surface is similar to the journey water makes inside of living, growing plants. It starts at the roots of the plant and works its way up through the stem and finally making its way into the leaves.
The water in a good spring comes from an underground reservoir many miles deep in the earth - far removed from any human contamination. This type of water has been around long before the advent of the industrial age and all the fallout from modern weapons of war as well as our chemical, nuclear and biological experiments. The entire surface of the earth along with the air that we breathe has been contaminated by a variety of pollutants. The deep subterranean water from a good spring is the most likely thing to be completely free from any contamination from human activity.
Good Spring Water is Ancient
Deep, cold spring water is potentially thousands of years old. Springs are part of the largest cycle on the planet – the hydrological cycle. A spring begins as a result of an underground stream or river eventually flowing into and becoming trapped in an impermeable cavern of rock. This trapped water may sit for thousands of years in this underground lake. As the water sits deep in this subterranean aquifer for many generations it is very still. It becomes very pure over time as the earth’s gravity draws out any sediment.
Given enough time a shift in the tectonic plates puts pressure on this underground water bladder pushing it out in all directions. This omnidirectional pressure prevents any outside contaminants from getting into the aquifer. Eventually, this pressurized water finds a fissure in the rock and starts to work its way up to the surface of the earth. It then springs forth from the earth by its own volition - pure, clean, energized and ready to be consumed.
On its long journey to the surface the water makes its way through cracks and fissures in the mantel rubbing itself against many miles of rocks and crystals along the way. This movement against dissimilar materials charges the water, structures the water and gives it energy and life. Any minerals it may pick up along the way are electrostatically charged making them more bioavailable to our cells.
Not All Water That Comes Out of the Ground is Good to Drink
Not all springs are created equal. The best springs are deep, cold and free-flowing. It is best to collect your water at the source – the exact point where it comes out of the ground. It is usually not a good idea to drink unfiltered water downstream from the source after the water has flowed for some distance across the surface of the earth potentially becoming contaminated along the way. Here are some examples of water that comes out of the ground that is not necessarily good to drink unless it has been filtered:
Seep – On the surface, a seep looks just like a spring. However, unlike a true spring the underground reservoir has a higher elevation than the outlet. A seep is typically found near the bottom of a mountain slope and is free-flowing. It occurs as a result of rain water hitting the top of the mountain penetrating the surface and producing a small underground stream flowing downhill. As the water comes upon an impermeable layer of rock near the bottom of the hill it pops back out onto the earth’s surface appearing much like a spring. This water is probably not the purest because as the rain falls from the sky to earth it may collect air pollution. It may also pick up contaminants on the surface. A seep has two more unique identifying characteristics-
The flow rate of a seep will vary as it is affected by the amount of local rainfall.
Its water temperature will vary according to the outside air temperature because it is shallow, running near the surface.
Well – This water is drawn from an underground aquifer that is not under pressure. Hence, it is not free-flowing. A hole is drilled into the ground until the aquifer can be accessed with a long pipe. The pipe is added to prevent the walls of the drilled hole from collapsing over time. The well water is then pumped to the surface from the aquifer using mechanical means. Sand and sediment may be unintentionally sucked up along with the water because of this mechanical action. A true spring well may be more than ten times deeper than a well - thousands of feet deep for a spring compared to a few hundred feet for a well. Because the well is much more shallow it may be more susceptible to contamination from surface pollution. Also, because the underground aquifer is not under pressure it is also potentially susceptible outside contamination.
Artesian Well – This type of water comes from an underground aquifer that is under pressure but the water has not yet found a way to the surface on its own. This pressure may come from hydrostatic forces where the aquifer is higher than the outlet or from other geological forces such as shifting tectonic plates. Just like in the case of a conventional well, a hole is drilled into the ground until the aquifer can be accessed. Because the water is under pressure it then flows to the surface on its own. Artesian wells typically are much shallower compared to a good spring. As such, they are susceptible to similar risk of contamination as a conventional well. In the case of a hydrostatic artesian well, they are usually found near the bottom of mountain slopes.
Hot Springs – There are areas on the planet where the earth’s mantel comes into contact with underground aquifers of water. This may heat the water to the boiling point. This heating creates pressure forcing the hot water to the surface. Hot springs are free-flowing and usually have a high mineral content due to the turbulence caused by underground boiling. Because of the high mineral content this type of water can be good for bathing but, it is not necessarily the best water to drink.
How to Find a Good Spring
It is best to travel to the source and collect your own water in glass bottles and drink it fresh. Springs are everywhere. The best springs are typically found high in the hills such as along the in Appalachian Mountain range or the Rocky Mountain range. You can ask around with some of the long-term locals in your area if they know of a spring. Findaspring.com is a free directory and is also a good source of springs in your area. Some springs are in public parks and some are on private property. Most springs are free or accept a small donation.
Once you have found one there are a few simple and inexpensive and free tests you can perform to evaluate the quality of your spring.
Thermometer – The water temperature at the source should be cold. The colder the water the better. Typically, cold water indicates a very deep the aquifer. The exception is in the case of a hot spring which also may be very deep. The temperature of the water at the source should also be consistent throughout the seasons and not affected by changing air temperatures. This also is a good indication of a very deep aquifer. A cooking thermometer is not suitable since they are not designed to measure under about 100 degrees F. A digital thermometer used by HVAC contractors is ideal and can be purchased at Home Depot for under $10.
TDS meter – A TDS meter will measure the Total Dissolved Solids in water expressed in parts per million (PPM.) TDS is a measure of the combined content of all contaminants under 2 microns in size that may be contained in the water. This may include minerals, salts, pollution and heavy metals. The lower the TDS the better. Average tap water will have a TDS between 200 and 400 PPM. Good spring water will have a TDS of less than 150 PPM. TDS meters can be purchased online for under $50.
pH paper – This will measure the acidity or alkalinity of the water. If your other lifestyle factors tend to contribute to acidity in the body (such as consuming any animal products, cooked food, processed food, alcohol, smoking, stress or extreme exercise) it can be very beneficial to drink alkaline water. Otherwise, drinking neutral (pH=7.0) or slightly acidic water is fine. You can get a roll of pH paper at any pharmacy for under $10.
Flow rate – The water flow should be generous, free-flowing and not require a pump. The flow rate should be consistent regardless of the amount of rainfall. This is one of the indications of a true spring and not a seep. You can calculate flow rate simply by timing how long it takes to fill up a container of water and comparing that timing to other visits to the same spring in different seasons.
Number of turns – If the spring is tapped with a pipe, observe the number of turns per foot the water makes as it flows out of the pipe before it hits the ground. The more turns the better. This indicates a swirling motion as the water rises from the earth. This extra movement is good for structuring the water making it more bioavailable.
Surrounding environment – Notice the area surrounding the spring. It should be far from potential sources of pollution such as busy roads, businesses and industry. If there are farms nearby are they organic? The foliage surrounding a good spring will be lush with vibrant, luminescent colors. Some people may leave behind small expressions of gratitude, respect and appreciation for the spring in the form of a memento or gift. This positive intention makes a difference.
You can also collect a sample and have the water professionally tested at a lab such as Kappa Labs.
Drink it Fresh
It is best to collect your spring water in glass bottles and drink it fresh. Water does not like to be still which can de-structure the water if it sits too long. Water likes to move. Restructuring water is literally the act of bringing it back to life. Water is more than an inanimate chemical compound. Water stores information, has memory and it has consciousness. Water has life and it gives life and it wants our love and our respect.
If your water sits for a long time you can restructure the water by simply taking two one quart Mason jars and filling one with water. Pour the water back and forth between the two jars seven times. The idea is to mimic the movement of water in nature as it flows from the earth. Pause and be grateful for this life-giving elixir. Give thanks before drinking much in the same way some people say a prayer before a meal. Tell the water how much you love it and it will love you back!
Conclusion
The practice of travelling to a wild spring to collect your drinking water may seem like an unnecessary chore to some people. Not everybody is ready to make this kind of commitment. However, if you have read this far, you are not like everybody else. You are among the wise and the enlightened and you deserve the best for yourself!
If you would like to learn more about wild springs and the best water to drink come join me at the Foundation of Life Retreat in Evergreen, Colorado, August 9-16, 2022. Here we will be drinking very pure fresh spring water collected in glass from the local Wideawake Spring. This will be an unforgettable week for detox and rejuvenation at the top of the world in a magical sanctuary that is literally “Above the Clouds” For details click here. I hope to see you there!:)