Bitney Springs, Nevada City, CA

22 people follow this spring.
Directions:

Description:

Sheltered, cement base with several pipes coming out. Bitney Springs has three spouts continuously flowing. If you’re turning onto Bitney Springs Rd from Rough and Ready Hwy, you will see the canopy on your right in about .3 miles.

Nearest Address

Approximately 10289 Bitney Springs Road.

Directions from Nearest Address

From Interstate 80 East toward Reno, take exit 119C for Elm Ave. Turn right at Elm Ave, and right at CA-49/Grass Valley Hwy. Take exit toward CA-174/Grass Valley/Colfax. Turn left at S Auburn St, then left on W Main St. Continue on Rough and Ready Hwy, then a right on Bitney Springs Rd, .3 miles down the road.

Vital Information

  • Fee: None
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 37
  • Temp: N/A
  • pH: N/A

Hours Spring is Open:

Always

Map Link: Bitney Springs Map

GPS: N/A

Submitted by: Knee Deep, Lauren

Responses

  1. Thought I’d just share that I ran a full test for lead, bacteria, pesticides, chlorine, iron, copper, alkalinity, nitrates and nitrites and it all came back within ideal range. I bought a test from watertestingkits com. I love this water!

  2. Drink up! My family has been driving from Sacramento to this spring for over 30 years. We usually bottle it a truckload at a time at sunrise. The water sits in5 gallon jugs for a few months at a time until it is consumed,no problems. We keep the one we are drinking on a alhambra chilled water dispenser. I’m 31 and was raised on this water since 1year old. Never had any problems. Never had it tested and wouldn’t worry about it. If you’re worried, go away and don’t involve Environmental Health. The Government should keep its nose out of this.

  3. Tested Bitney Spring water on 4/6/2017 for Aluminum, Arsenic, Iron, Mercury, and Zinc. None of the metals were detected. Used FGL for analysis and collected/preserved samples accordingly (I collect and analyze storm/waste/surface water in my line of work so I did this as a side project). Been drinking this water almost daily since we moved here over 3 years ago and it is glorious. I’ll conduct an E-coli/fecal coliform test this spring and let you know how it turns out.

  4. Hi there,
    My husband and I love this water but we think it could be making both of us have the runs. We got some for the first time last week and since then both of us have been having diarrhea. Has anyone tested this water recently?

    1. Im so glad someone said this….i thought i was going crazy!!
      Love this water but i think ive gotten the runs both times from this spring now and getting migranes….it sucks and im pretty sure its from tbitney because two days ago i was fine drank about a gallon of it so far and have sulfur runs now…and throbbing head

    2. People saying that this water gave them health issues are full of it. Stop eating unhealthy food maybe? Don’t blame this water when it’s a thousand times healthier than tap.maybe if you got diareah it’s because this water is helping you get negative build up out of your body. If you don’t like this spring, then go away. And do not ever come back.

  5. We justed moved to the area and heard about this spring.  Because we’re very health conscious and are trying to heal our bodies, we collected some water samples and paid to have them tested in February 2012.  The test revealed that the water is acutally great (a little low in pH but this could be of the delay in testing due to transportation time).  I’d be happy to share the results to anyone who would like to receive them.  Just email me at virgiejohnson[at]gmail.com.

  6. I called the Nevada County Environmental Health Dept. today to see if this water is safe to drink, since I stopped and got a couple gallons last week and have been drinking it.  They said that they used to monitor the spring, but when they posted warnings about drinking the water, the signs would be torn down immediately, so they finally gave up and stopped testing.  He said that we should boil the water for 2-3 minutes, because when they tested for total coliform bacteria (from dead and decaying insects, leaves, etc.), it was most always positive.  This CAN make us sick, but not necessarily.  There was also some fecal coliform intermittently and some e-coli, which can definitely make you sick.  This is a shallow spring in a valley surrounded by cattle, goats, horses, etc.  He did not know if the water ever tested positive for mercury or not (this county has plenty of it in the streams and rivers from gold mining days).  That said, there are plenty of people who have drunk this water for 40 years or more, however I don’t know anything whatsoever about their level of health.  Think I’ll be boiling mine.  Do not boil longer than 3 minutes – any longer and you’ll be concentrating the minerals, etc., and that could be bad.
    To your good health!

    1.  Talked to an old timer/neighbor who lives right down the road from this spring. He said the contamination might have something to do with all the houses in the area that were built before Nevada County upgraded its standards for septic tanks………a quick drive by will show there is abundant cattle and similar in the area…….play it safe and drive up to Coughlin’s, up across from the North Columbia School House.

  7. Went and filled our bottles today! It was around 1:00 in the afternoon and we were the only ones there until a guy came by in his truck to fill up a small container. Water tastes good and though we live in Sacramento, we’ll be coming back for more.

  8. This is my personal spring! I have been drinking this water exclusively since I discovered Daniel and findaspring.com about a year ago. I will never look back. Thanks DV. Every time I fill up there is a line of incredible people. I tell everyone I know about this spring. This water is absolutely the best I have ever tasted; truly invigorating.

  9. Has anyone had a metals test done on this water? There’s a local place that does testing, cranmerengineeringinc, but it’s 320 bucks for the metals panel. I had the thought that someone may have already had it done and could save myself the $. I love the taste of this water and have been drinking it for years…and then it occurred to me, after a friend heard something about potential high levels of arsenic, that I should get it tested. Arsenic can really screw up your day 🙁 . If I don’t hear from anyone, I’ll be testing and posting the results on here. If anyone wants to pitch in for the test, my email is luckyyakleg[at]gmail.com

  10. dee dee dumb, here ya come! has anyone of you contacted the Environmental Health Agency? You know the sign that’s clearly posted here? The many years that they’ve tested, there has been large amounts of animal fecal matter in this water. Wonder if it has to do with all of the cattle ranches in the area, ya think?

  11. I grew up drinking water from this spring.  From about 1955 to 1970 it was our only source for drinking water. I’m 60 years old now and still as spry as my 10-year-old grandson. (Well…maybe not that spry.) We also used to pick water cress from the small stream behind the spring.

  12. I gathered up my best friends and we trekked on up from Sacramento with our glass jugs. I have to say that having lived in a metropolitan area my whole life, on municipal water, this was the most amazing water I’ve ever tasted. I know it’s not the “best ever” but it’s a HUGE step up from Brita.  I was concerned about the reports of Mercury, but it doesn’t seem to keep the locals away. While we were there, several people pulled up to fill their jugs too.  We left our gratitude and a simple offering to those that protect the place and the waters.  I might pool funds with whoever is interested to have it tested at 
    http://www.watertestamerica.com/all-available-tests.html  Their rates seem pretty reasonable, and even the $80 test tests for Mercury and the bacteria.

  13. Talked to a lady from the EPA about this spring and she said it has tested high in contaminants and she is surprised it hasn’t been shut down. Looking into this, I found that the area has been contaminated with mercury from the old gold mining days. Has anyone heard about this?  Anyone ever done extensive testing of the water here? I’ve been drinking this water for about three years and would like to continue to. Thank You

  14. We fill up a 5 and 2 gallon jar every few days because our family can’t get enough of it. At night when my son asks for water he says “can I have some spring water mommy?”. When it runs out we’ll drink tap water till we get out that way but it’s a chore rather than the addictive pleasure bitney springs water is.

    But I wonder if folks have forgot about it because there has never been a line. What a shame!

  15. We fill our large water bottles from this wonderful spring every week. At times you’ll wait for others for a few minutes while a variety of people are there ahead of you. We had the water tested and found that it’s slightly hard, which is healthy for you. The water is cold and very fresh tasting. The spring is on private land and the owner is providing a terrific public service for which we’re grateful.

    1. I think it has to do with the mail for the most part being routed through Nevada City. We lived on Bitney Springs Road for years with a Nevada City address but it seems to e it is in GrassValley, thus the saying there “Nevada City is the capitol of Grass Valley”!

  16. unfortunately as of March 6, 2023 this spring is barely running. I have been coming here for 5 years and loved the water. As I pulled over today to fill up I noticed the flow was barely a trickle from each of the 3 pipes. A local was filling up and I asked him why it was so slow. He said he suspects that the piping from the spring has broken and is leaking most of the spring water into the adjacent brook but not feeding up through the pipes. He said he thinks it will need to be dug up and re-piped. Very sad. I wonder if it is related to the storm systems, snow, and freezes we have experienced this winter in California.

  17. Just went to this spring, saw a lot of locals filling up their jugs. Spoke to a few, they said they’ve been drinking this water for a while and it’s good. Will be my primary source of water now

  18. We coming cince offer 10 years to Nevada City, never have a problem with this water. But all the time is good, when there is a public control off the Water and the resalts can be publicized there.

  19. This spring is fantastic! Went there for the first time 11/29/17. The water tastes great, similar to Red Rock Beach which is my usual go to spring however inaccessible @ the moment due to road work for a few months. Met several people that had been drinking it for years. So far no adverse reactions 🙂

  20. Been drinking it for 15 years now as my primary source of water. My family is healthy but I would love more info on the heavy metal content. Wondering if I should be concerned? If you are drinking NID sink water (not well water), you are drinking reclaimed sewage water–yuck!!!

  21. Hi Debbie – this link to youtube is gone (again?) – can you mention the NAME of the product or the creator – can’t find anything on this online and i REALLY want to check out the system!

    thanks for posting!

  22. Mercury was used extensively in this region, however it is not really a water quality issue, nor is it a ground water issue. 99% of all the Mercury here is bound to sediment (not dissolved in the water) and only becomes bioavailable to humans when they eat fish caught from the reservoirs. Arsenic however, is naturally occurring throughout the Sierra and is found in ground water. I suggest contacting the Environmental Health Dept to find out their test results for arsenic and bacteria

  23. This is my personal spring! I have been drinking this water exclusively since I discovered Daniel and findaspring.com about a year ago. I will never look back. Thanks DV. Every time I fill up there is a line of incredible people. I tell everyone I know about this spring. This water is absolutely the best I have ever tasted; truly invigorating.

How to Collect Spring Water

Drinking pure spring water is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Our bodies are over 99% water at the molecular level, so water affects every aspect of our biology. Yet, not all water is created equal. Almost all the bottled spring water available is pasteurized for shelf stability, which neutralizes many of the powerful health benefits such as increased hydrogen, healthy probiotics, and crystalline structure. For more about why unprocessed spring water is the best water to drink, read this.

The best way to guarantee you are getting real unprocessed spring water is to collect it yourself. This is a short and simple guide filled with information about how to gather spring water. We will cover how to find a spring, how to collect the water, how to honor the spring, how to store the water properly and other tips.

FindASpring.org is the best resource for locating a spring near you. However, not all springs are on the map. First, check the map to see if there is a spring in your local area. If there is, look at the reviews and comments. Has anyone shared helpful information about flow rate or posted a water test result? Is the spring in a pristine area? Do a bit of research and make sure the spring is safe to drink from. If you have any doubt about the purity, don’t risk it and get a water test, HERE. If you don’t see a spring on the map in your area, there still might be some that aren’t listed yet. First, ask the older generation who have lived in your area a long time if they know. You can also ask people in your community who might already get spring water such as people at a health food store or at a farmers market. Another great option is to view A US forest service map, where many springs have been marked. You can view these maps through the Gaia GPS or All Trails hiking apps on your phone. The map overlay you want is USGS Topo. Not all are easily accessible or ideal for drinking, but some are and it can be a fun adventure to find them. We have found over half a dozen great springs this way.

Once you’ve found your spring, figure out how you are going to gather the water. Is it right on the side of the road and easy to access or do you have to hike to it? We recommend storing spring water in glass instead of plastic to preserve the purity of the water. It is better for the environment, your body, and the water. Even BPA free plastic has toxic chemicals that can leach into water and cause health issues. If you do want to use plastic for safety reasons when filling at the spring, we recommend transferring the water to glass as soon as possible. FindASpring is sponsored by Alive Waters, which offers beautiful reusable glass. They have a 2.5 gallon option, which is a convenient size for carrying that isn’t too heavy. They also sell handles that you can use to transport the jugs even more easily. If you have to hike to access the spring, we recommend putting the water jugs into an extra large backpack to hike the water out with ease. We use Osprey packs that hold 2 jugs each. You can also use a wheelbarrow or even a stroller depending on how easy a walk it is.

Filling 2.5 Gallon Alive Waters Jug

When you get to the spring, remember to first give back before you take. Springs are considered sacred in indigenous cultures around the world for their life giving water and also as a connection to the inner earth. A powerful and simple way to give back is to clean up. Is there any trash that needs to be collected? Could you move any dead leaves or sticks to improve the flow rate? Show up in service. Some other wonderful ways to give is with a moment of expressing verbal gratitude, singing songs to the water, offering the water an ethically sourced crystal, a feather, or some other physical gift. Flowers are a popular and beautiful thing to offer, but please be careful to source organic ones as most flowers from the store are sprayed with pesticides and can be toxic to put near a spring. Also, flowers can attract bugs as they decay, so it can be best to offer them to the flowing water directly or a little downstream from the spring head.

When gathering the water, fill the jug as close to the spring head as possible, never gather downstream. Be very careful as wet glass is extremely slippery. Make sure the lid is securely fastened. When transporting the spring water home, the jugs can sometimes slide around the car. Secure them in place or wrap them with towels or something so they don’t crash into each other.

How you store your spring water is essential. It is not pasteurized like spring water from the store, so it will start growing algae if left in direct sunlight. This is good because it means it’s alive! If the water you drink can’t even support the most basic life forms, how do you think it will support your body? Store your water in a cool, dark place such as a dark corner, pantry or closet. The fridge is ideal if you have room. Some people prefer to filter their water through a Berkey filter before drinking, but if the spring is pure, it’s not necessary. We drink our spring water completely unfiltered.

How long the water stays good for depends on how cold a temperature it’s stored at. Spring water is best fresh. We personally do not prefer to drink spring water past 2 weeks old. However, we know other people that will drink it at a month old. It’s great to get in a rhythm where you know how long the water lasts you and put your collection day on the calendar in advance.

I believe that water is calling us to reconnect with her in the deepest way, to gather our own water. Just like our ancestors did. Our ancestors didn’t have fancy water machines. They also didn’t create villages or settle where there was no water. Water was revered as the center of the community and the nodal point around which life could spiral out and take root.

Here’s to restoring the sacred connection with the waters of life.

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