My family and I filled up 9 gallons for the week to drink….Tastes so much better than any bottled water….In the week we’ve been drinking it we can all say we physically feel better….We were drinking Ice Mountain bottled water forever and I never felt hydrated, my tongue was always so dry….Not with this Buchtel Trough water….My tongue is always moist and I’ve felt a balance in my hydration….When we went to fill up for the 1st time last week I thought we’d be the only ones….I was wrong, about 8 other vehicles pulled in and filled up while we were there….I was surprised to see all different classes of people there, poor, middle and high and from far off cities too….I’m happy to have found this location….This “Fountain of Youth”….We’re going to be regulars here from now on just like others we’ve met here saying they’ve been drinking from this trough for more than 20 years….Try it, you’ll like it! Have a wonderful day! ????
After a lot of internet searching, I was able to find a semi-detailed, sort of recent chemical analysis of the water in this spring. This analysis can be found here: http://www.watersheddata.com/map/map.aspx?WaterShed=MN1
The specific site ID is SF00285.
The pH was recorded as 6 and the Al concentration was <0.05 mg/l.
i have been studing this it comes from a old mine and it was dammed up and it aint no more! it is mine water your drinking do not drink this water it has high amounts of led and aluminim in it
From what I understand about this spring is it is in fact an old flooded mine draining. It’s apparently tested regularly by a watershed protection group and they say it is safe. But I’m a little worried about it being an old mine.
Does anyone drink from this spring? Is it really safe? Are there any other springs around Athens County that are okay?
I recently moved down to Athens from New Hampshire. Absolutely loving this area, but I miss my springs in NH!
Lots of people drink from it, some get their whole water supply from it. It differs somewhat from the area well water, which tends to be high in manganese. I think I’d rather drink from this spring than the city water supplies in the area, which either come from Burr Oak, or the gravel beds of the Hocking Valley. Not everything that flows out of a coal mine is bad for you. God only knows (literally) what the water flows through on its way to the outlet.
This is a historic coal mining area, and this may be draining an abandoned, flooded mine – thus the aluminum, and possibly other coal-associated chemicals.
True, just up the road, near Straitsville, the discharge from a mine on the right hand side of the road was analyzed. It contained very high amounts of aluminum. Oddly the amount of aluminum varied by season. I’ve also noted that at times there appears to be oil in this Buchtel spring water. I recall, when I was young, there was a pipe burning off natural gas that seeped out of the ground nearby. There’s some interesting forces of nature at work there!
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.
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.
Written by Dakota Chanel. Water Priestess and Ceremonialist. DakotaChanel.com
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Buchtel Spring, Buchtel, OH
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My family and I filled up 9 gallons for the week to drink….Tastes so much better than any bottled water….In the week we’ve been drinking it we can all say we physically feel better….We were drinking Ice Mountain bottled water forever and I never felt hydrated, my tongue was always so dry….Not with this Buchtel Trough water….My tongue is always moist and I’ve felt a balance in my hydration….When we went to fill up for the 1st time last week I thought we’d be the only ones….I was wrong, about 8 other vehicles pulled in and filled up while we were there….I was surprised to see all different classes of people there, poor, middle and high and from far off cities too….I’m happy to have found this location….This “Fountain of Youth”….We’re going to be regulars here from now on just like others we’ve met here saying they’ve been drinking from this trough for more than 20 years….Try it, you’ll like it! Have a wonderful day! ????
This water is very safe to drink. Hocking college tests it every other day. It is not a old flooded mine! It’s an underground lake.
After a lot of internet searching, I was able to find a semi-detailed, sort of recent chemical analysis of the water in this spring. This analysis can be found here: http://www.watersheddata.com/map/map.aspx?WaterShed=MN1
The specific site ID is SF00285.
The pH was recorded as 6 and the Al concentration was <0.05 mg/l.
I hope that the EPA doesn’t try to close it. It is the best water withn a 100 miles. People from all over ohio and WV come to get this water.
i have been studing this it comes from a old mine and it was dammed up and it aint no more! it is mine water your drinking do not drink this water it has high amounts of led and aluminim in it
From what I understand about this spring is it is in fact an old flooded mine draining. It’s apparently tested regularly by a watershed protection group and they say it is safe. But I’m a little worried about it being an old mine.
Does anyone drink from this spring? Is it really safe? Are there any other springs around Athens County that are okay?
I recently moved down to Athens from New Hampshire. Absolutely loving this area, but I miss my springs in NH!
Lots of people drink from it, some get their whole water supply from it. It differs somewhat from the area well water, which tends to be high in manganese. I think I’d rather drink from this spring than the city water supplies in the area, which either come from Burr Oak, or the gravel beds of the Hocking Valley. Not everything that flows out of a coal mine is bad for you. God only knows (literally) what the water flows through on its way to the outlet.
This is a historic coal mining area, and this may be draining an abandoned, flooded mine – thus the aluminum, and possibly other coal-associated chemicals.
True, just up the road, near Straitsville, the discharge from a mine on the right hand side of the road was analyzed. It contained very high amounts of aluminum. Oddly the amount of aluminum varied by season. I’ve also noted that at times there appears to be oil in this Buchtel spring water. I recall, when I was young, there was a pipe burning off natural gas that seeped out of the ground nearby. There’s some interesting forces of nature at work there!
Analyzed at Ohio University and found to be high in aluminum.
Analyzed at Ohio University and found to be high in aluminum.
Supplement to my other comment:
The US EPA contaminant limits can be found here: http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/#two
After a comparison I found the following notable:
(BS= Buchtel spring)
BS pH is 6, too acidic to be within the 6.5-8.5 EPA limit.
BS sulfate concentration is 413 mg/l, nearly double the EPA limit of 250 mg/l.
I wish there was a more up to date analysis for comparison.
Can someone provide me info to contact the dept. at Hocking College that test this? I would like to get some facts.