“The Pulsinch Natural Spring is re-born & ready for drinking! This spring is now flowing again after several winters of being dormant from the bridge construction. This is the only non-alkaline water source in the Hamilton area, incredible! Living hydrogen directly from the Earth. The water sample I took shows ZERO on both Total Coliform & E.Coli, more info: http://bit.ly/Es26R” – Mo Rosati
Nearest Address
Intersection of Maddaugh Rd and Macpherson’s Lane.
Directions from Nearest Address
From the above intersection walk down Puslinch Townline about 100 feet & you’ll see the spring under the side of the bridge. See video for details.
Just went a trip to Lake Superior a week or two ago. We drank water from this spring the whole way and back. We felt fine, we felt great. Also in response to someone’s comment about stinky water … some people say you must let water breathe every day bc it is alive. If it’s natural water from nature and is kept sealed it will end up smelling swampy. I do that now too.
Have been coming to this spring for more than a decade. My last three fills have not been good. Clean jugs and they start to smell like pond water within 2-3 days (stored in dark location)
Never had this happen before. Curious if any others have a report on this. I have never gotten sick but it’s hard to drink with this smell. Sad, hope it is just seasonal issues which has happened one summer in about 2015…
With the recent melt and rain the springs outlet is overtopped by the stream so I would not drink from it right now, or do boil it, there is a high probability of contamination from the stream/surface runoff.
Water levels have now fallen and spring can be collected from again. (thank goodness…I was getting tired of softened water). I collected again.
Also if you break your glass do NOT leave it in the stream! Even under the bridge. It will wash downstream and be an extreme hazard for injury. People (including the neighborhood kids, fishermen and my coworkers) are in this stream and broken glass, like what I removed today, can cause severe injury!
Hey everyone…this is my first time going to the spring and i’m so excited about it! Has anyone tested this water recently? Also do any of you boil the water?
I took a sample on November 27, 2012 and the results are good. 0 colliform and 0 E. coli. So it looks great. Tasted great too. I do not boil it unless I get test results with some bacteria.
You can’t mistake the smell of chlorine pucks. Even the short exposure I had to the fumes gave me a headache. I also wish this spring was more protected. Some springs I have visited have been designed so that they run right out of a tap which keeps the water clean from debris and makes filling containers a lot easier.
We noticed the white pucks at the bottom of the spring too- how do you know they were chlorine pucks? Thanks for taking them out- any more thoughts on how to cover this spring so people cant put anything in it?
I went to this spring to collect water this past weekend (July 8, 2012) and found 4 chlorine pucks laying on the bottom. I removed them not only because it is like drinking pool water but because this is first and foremost a sensitive trout spawning area that chemical additives like chlorine may have some impact on.
Thanks for removing them Taras! That is disgusting that someone would put chlorine pucks in the spring!!! Totally pathetic. (glad I missed it) Very damaging not only to whoever would drink that but also to the whole stream, you are right it is a sensitive area and it would have a negative effect on the stream. Mind boggling why someone would even think to do that (other than maliciousness which would be very sad)…besides the damage to the steam and unsafeness for humans; if you wanted to drink chlorine why go to a spring at all? Just get water from your treated municipal system… Test results are always clean (except for that one blip in 2011) so no reason at all to even contemplate putting chlorine in this water.
On June 12,2012 I discovered this spring… a local told me about how great it is… I took a little sip… The water tasted Great and was super cold but after 5 – 10 mins I wasn’t feeling too great… Didn’t get sick or anythings… But truthfully i’m still not feeling too good… I can’t pin it to the spring… But it can’t say it wasn’t the water…
One big issue i have with this spring is the galvanized steel with a higher acidic water…
I didn’t see a posted contaminated sign… Wish I did tho…
Hey Kaylee, great meeting you at the Puslinch spring! Nothing makes me happier than meeting new people at these springs, watch people building their blood with raw, wild living spring water! Keep up the great work 🙂
Went to the spring today (Dec 3) and got some water. There was a sign saying the water has not been tested but without further information. Should we always boil before drinking? Does that not change the value of it? Is this water contaminated? How do we test it?
You can still drink it.
If you want to kill the bacteria just boil the water before drinking.
Often people still drink contaminated water without boiling (like others posting here) and have no adverse effects, it just means there is the possibility of adverse effects (young and old are at the biggest risk). Bacteria is an indicator of contamination, not a guarantee of having an effect on you.
Do your own research people.
It’s your health.
Don’t just go on word of mouth or forum posts….(I do still feel that spring water is the healthiest option for me but) There are risks in drinking from a source like this. KNOW the risks.
The testing results are posted below. (Reading previous posts is useful.
It was printed out two weeks before the above post, not “just” printed)
I’d appreciate if others taking tests would post the results here so others can be informed as well and make an informed decision on the drinking from this source.
Thanks so much for all your hard work in the testing of this spring Kaylee! With these new results of zero bacterial contamination I think I’ll be checking out this spring very soon 🙂
I was just there today and saw the sign, it said the water was tested on sept 20. On sept 17 I collected 10 gallons and drank it all with no adverse effects. I collected some any ways, I might send a sample to a lab. So far so good though.
I took another water sample on September 20th 2011 and the results are shocking: It came back as having 15 Coliform and 13 E. coli! This is considered unsafe for drinking. (even though I have been drinking it…)
I took another water sample on Aug 23, 2011 and had some disappointing results: 1 E. coli and 1 Coliform. The E. coli shows that there is some sewage contamination. Any E. coli and the ministry deems the water unsafe for drinking.
I just collected some bottles today and had a drink while I was there. This worries me a little… Where so you go to have the water tested? I’m in GUelph, I have more bottles of the water I drank. Would appreciate your thoughts.
I also drank some while I was there taking the sample. I again disclaim I am not an expert (just wielding the sample bottle and my own opinion). It was a week ago so it may be flushed out and clean again by now just watch how you feel and consult a doctor if you get diarrhea (especially bloody they say, with E. coli involved) I did a bit of a internet search after the results came back and found: The E. coli is just an indicator, it doesn’t mean there is something there that will cause problems but the possibility is there. E. coli is an indicator that fecal waste has contaminated the water (could be animal or human no way to tell) and that could lead to disease transfer. May be TMI but I did have a bit of diarrhea 5 days after picking up the last batch but I chalked it up to something I ate as I feel much much better on the spring water (even with a little bacteria) than I do on the RO water I was drinking before, where I had severe issues every single day (and yes, the water was the only thing I changed). I don’t mind drinking it with a little bit of coliform but the e.coli not so much. Sycologicaly I just can’t stand drinking what is contaminated with fecal waste…
I’ll be back later this week for another sample.
I get it tested through the Ministry of Health (those single household use bottles you can pick up, as it is my primary source of water, I just am also sharing the information). I am a bit worried if I take to many samples that come back like this one did that they will shut it down and make it unable to be collected from. (The form requires the location of the sample to be stated and I don’t fib that, not sure they pay attention to it or not)
Hi Brenda, thanks again for taking the time to test the water for us. I’ve had an uncomfortable feeling about it before you told me the results and I’ve already been on the look out for a new source. We’re probably going to stick to the ancaster water for now just to be safe. Although, it is highly unlikely anything would happen to you if you continued to drink from this source. Not sure what’s contaminating it but I think now a spout or lid are probably the best options if anyone wants any help e-mail me at mlbtopshotta@hotmail.com
FOR ANYONE WHO IS STILL DRINKING FROM THIS SOURCE, before collecting your water use your hand to sweep all floating debris from the back area out of the spout. Try to get as much of the non-moving back water out as possible. Once it looks clean let it flow for 5 or 10 minutes and wash itself out. When you collect try to always point your container into the flow. Try not to collect water from the back area.I will post a note at the spring so anyone who doesn’t use this site will know this information as well.
I took a sample on August 3, 2011 (conferred with Mark so we were not duplicating effort. And I was delayed a bit because I did not fully fill out the paperwork when submitted and they do not test then.) and the results have come back showing “Significant Bacteria” results with 8 total coliform and 0 E. coli. (I’ve been drinking the water since though). It did rain the night before I took the sample so wonder if maybe that washed some contamination in? I will take another sample later this week or early next week (whenever the current rain goes away for a bit) to see if anything changes. I am very disappointed that some people have seemed to start using the pull off as an area to dump and wonder if a sign should be put up. Would the dumping have any effect on the spring? Or maybe the bacteria is a result of the drought somehow? Or the rain that happened the day before the sample?
So Aug 3, 2011 results : 8 Total Coliform and 0 E. coli
Hey Kaylee,
Good feedback, if a little disapointing. I realise not all bacteria have to be bad, but I guess you never know. Be interesting to know whether the the hot weather, the rain fall or the dumping is causing this. I need to get involved in the sampling with the rest of you guys I guess. I’m taking a rest from the spring for a bit, though it’s never effected me in a bad way. Will get back involved in a month or two.
Cheers,
Clive
I have been drinking this water since early this year and like others I’ve noticed debris floating in there from time to time. I’ve never been too concerned about it, and I usually just sweep it towards the spout because it can get trapped outside the normal flow. In the last month or 2 I have noticed a lot more tree/road debris in there so I made a large cover for the top. It is fairly light but I tried to make it heavy enough that the wind wouldn’t blow it away in a storm. I’m not much of a handyman so I’m open to suggestions on improving it. Also, if anybody has a reason why it shouldn’t be covered please let me know as well.
Also, like someone else mentioned I would be interested in possibly converting the pipe to a spout in the future. If anyone has more info please contact me about that as well as I would be willing to help as much as I can to maintain this fresh natural drinking source.You can contact me at mlbtopshotta@hotmail.com
I’m in the process of testing the water so I will post the results once I get them.
I am actually heading there today and just came on here to see if anyone had tested the water recently. I will have a look at your contraption and see if I have any suggestions on how to improve. Thanks for taking the time to imrpove this amazing resource.
Hey all… I was thinking about some of the comments by people who were interested in creating a shelter and spout for this spring. I went there for the first time a few weeks ago and am loving the water and think it would be a great idea to tend to it in this way. Is anyone out there still interested in that? Now that the weather is turning it’s the perfect time to rally together with skills and supplies to do it. I’m about as handy as building ikea furniture, but would be willing to put in a bit for supplies (if other people are too). If you’re thinking you want to participate send a comment here so we can get organized. Let’s keep this source clean and flowing!
I’ve started visiting this spring and have been loving the water. I took a sample for bacterial testing on April 10, 2011 and the results came back zero on both Total Coliform & E.Coli. There does seem to be high mineral content as I do get lots of deposits when boiling for tea but the water does not have any visible suspended bits (as some of the visitors below have described, maybe it just need a while to flush out from the construction).
is the water from this spring constantly flowing clean? Because where its coming out of looks rusty and the water filled in there looks unclean. Is it safe to drink?
Visited the spring today and collected three bottles of water. Was wondering if you have done any new tests on the spring. Will probably end up taking samples to the lab to have them analyzed as well for bacterial contamination. Was just wondering if any new tests had revealed any new info on this spring.
Hi Rachael,
I was wondering if you’d had your samples analyzed?
I recently got some glass car boys and will be collecting from Puslinch spring pretty soon. I was also wondering what the best way to clean/sterilize the glass vessel prior to collecting more spring water? Any tips from others?
Thanks,
Clive
Hi Clive.. not sure if you got your answer yet but I do a mix of hot soapy water (to remove any surface stuff that’s accumulated), swirl and shake it around, drain and rinse this and then soak with food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Kerry
Thanks for your reply Kerry. Believe it or not I have some food grade HP in the freezer and so will use it next time for cleaning. I guess you rinse that out afterwards also.
Question for the group: Has anyone used the Adya Clarity product? I bought some and use it with this water. It certainly drops out a bunch of disolved residues/solids if left to sit for 24 hours. Another question: I probably drink 1 1/2 – 2 liters of this water a day and this is the only water I consume. Do you think this is ok? Should I maybe vary the sources of water I’m drinking, a bit like a varied exercise routine? Thanks all!
I also use it as my main water source. I am by NO means an expert but think it should be fine as the only water you consume. If you are concerned about other contaminants and such you can take samples for other parameters (but they would cost you to test. The bacteria sampling is free but that is ONLY the two bacteria contaminations. My co-worker, whos a water guy, says the basic ones for drinking water run around 150$ but testing for very specific things, like pesticide residues, would run you up to 800$). The only thing you may want to consider is the hardness or TDS. I’m not an expert but don’t think you would want those much higher than this spring is…that being said I grew up on well water that was VERY hard and I seem to have turned out fine. 😛 (probably as high or higher than the hardness of this water) I actually feel better when I have some nice hard water (as opposed to RO water or even the nasty tasting softened water).
But you may want to wait for someone who actually knows what they are talking about. 😛
Hi, I was there just yesterday and filled up a glass bottle. When l got home I poured some into a glass and looked at it through a bright light. I noticed some fine thin particles floating around. Probably the same thing that Deb noticed. I drank the water anyway and it tasted great. Does anyone know what these particles are? Should I be worried about them? Should I filter them out?
Thanks,
Chris.
I was there collecting water yesterday and did not see any particles floating around in our carboys except for some algae.
The concern wouldn’t be with large particles as they are probably macromolecules of minerals. The concern really lies in bacterial contamination, if above a certain amount. Unfortunately, you cannot see bacteria floating around.
I wouldn’t be too concerned with the particles. If it bugs you, I would recommend filtering out those particles with a coffee filter. Then again, you are drinking live water, meaning that there are important species in that water that can significantly contribute to your overall health and well being. This would include diatoms, wonderful little phytoplankton from the aglae family. They are wonderful for mecainically killing parasites. Algae is another example and an excellent source of vitamins. It is now being cultivated as a health supplement. Many asian countries have been eating it for thousands of years. If you have eaten seaweed, you have eaten a form of algae.
Anyways, the point being, a coffee filter may remove those important nutrients from the water you are drinking. So keep that in mind when filtering.
Algae is excellent for keeping water clean of chemicals and fertilizer run off from nearby farms. I saw a bit of algae along the galvanized culvert, but I would not deem that as a bad thing. It would serve a great purpose in keeping that water clean and the layer was not very thick.
However, too much algae can indicate that there is a significant amount of nutritional waste in the water. This does not have to mean human waste, it could simply be decayed leaves and grass.
Also, algae are autotrophic organisms (photosynthetic- like plants) that require energy from the sun. If there is too much algae this can indicate that the water is in direct exposure to the sun. This would not be beneficial for those drinking the water as water molecules are broken down by the sun’s energy.
However, my partner and I have been drinking the water and seems to be ok so far in regards to bacterial contamination. I have not received a temperature or any other symptoms indicating infection.
I would not say that there is absolutely ZERO bacteria in this water. However, a manageable amount of bacteria is important in keeping your immune system strong. I believe low levels of bacteria and there other live organisms in this water and extremely beneficial to our health.
Its when bacteria levels are significantly high and the body cannot get rid of the large amount, especially in proliferation, that cause infection. However, the body is designed to eliminiate bacterial infections better than viral infections. As for this moment, I am not overly concerned with drinking this water, especially this time of year as the temperatures are very cold and bacteria need certain temperatures to survive, I would assume that the level of bacterial contamination in this water at this time of year is low.
On Monday, I am sending in a sample to the public health lab here in Hamilton for bacterial analysis.
I will post the results as soon as I get the results back.
Hope this info helps.
I’m in Niagara Falls and was wondering how does one transfer this water home for use. Is large plastic bottles safe….or where would I find a large enough glass jar. Could you contact me by email with an answer. Thank You In Advance. Joe @ joetouch@hotmail.com
From What Mo and Daniel Vitalis say you can use plastic bottles if that’s all you have or go to a wine making store and get some glass carboys (bottles) of all different sizes.
I’ve been told you want to keep the water out of the sun and kept cool, so I wrap the bottles in an old jacket, blanket or sweater etc for transport as well as at home. When home you’ll want to keep them in a cool dark place.
Here’s a video by Mo who did the video about this spring talking about what I’ve just stated. 🙂
Thanks for that Jesse! Some good information there.
I just came accross the websites and it is so wonderful! I knew of one spring in the area(Greensprings, its also an EarthCache) but was unsure if it was drinkable or not. Until last summer I had the most wonderful drinking water at work. We had a spring source that came straight to the ‘office’ building and I loved it and would take it home to drink. Sadly because it is a workplace and the TDS were a bit high they re-vamped the whole system and now we are FORCED to drink overly salted softened water or nutrient defficient and dead tasting RO water. While I am grateful we at least have the RO I was extreemly upset when they did not even give us an option of an un-softened tap. Talk about taking our water rights away… So disappointing…the best water I’ve had in a very very long time and they go and ruin it. My water at (my rented) home is worse, softened to the point I can hardly drink it sometimes…not refreshing in the least! So bad my tea and flavored drinks even taste bad! I finally decided there had to be a site like this to find local spring sources. So grateful to have found it. Will be making a trip to my local springs this week.
Hi…I’m so glad I found this site after watching another video from the Longevity Conference. I’m in Niagara Fallls and wonder; what is best for transporting and saving this water for use.?
Hi Mo,
Thanks for posting the info about this spring. I have collected from this spring for about 7 years. The longest collectors I have met was an elderly couple who have been going there for over 30 years, I have only heard good things about it.
The interruption from the new bridge was a frustration, but have been happy to be able to access it again. I have concerns about it though, and I would appreciate your thoughts. My friend who was visiting me noticed some tiny white floating particles in the water. We went to the source and checked it out with a clear glass and it is definitely coming out that way. I don’t know if this is a new thing from the new set up or was always the case from the previous set up? What do you think it could be? Is it safe? Is it just natural minerals, you said it was low on calcium? Am I so programmed to drink filtered water that I can’t even recognize good water when I see it? It seems safe, and your testing is reassuring, I have poured the water through a natural coffee filter, it took out most of it.
Thank you
Deb
I’m going today for the first time this sounds a little weird, as well as the structure it’s coming from. I would really like to hear what Mo has to say about this as well. 🙂
Haven’t been back on for a while so here is my update. After I filtered the first jug, I decided it was kind of a pain and not necessary, so I didn’t filter the rest of them (3). I didn’t experience any ill effect. I probably go about once/month and I kind of forgot about it since it didn’t seem a problem, so I don’t know when it stopped but they don’t seem to be in the water now. Maybe something to keep an eye on seasonally, ie. see if it happens again 7 months from now.
Anyway, it’s curious, but not a big worry, I think.
Cheers
Deb
This springs great!! just curious if any body else who uses it likes when people throw things in the main watering hole ????? Me i dont want it to be a wishing well full of coins so im wondering if anybody wants to improve it with me and fix it up a bit. some sort of cover or back fill it a bit maybe even a spout? im game for ideas
THanks
jay
Hi Jay,
Yes I don’t like things thrown in, I noticed that too. I have never seen any problems, like this before in all of my time going there. A cover and spout would be great!
Deb
Hey Jay,
Count me in on any fix up we can do here. It really does need some sort of cover, especially to shield from sunlight, as well as keeping out debris. Keep me in the loop!
Mo, is there a concern at all that this spring would be contaminated by road debris, salt etc? Unlike Ancaster this does not flow from a pipe making it more difficult to gather?
Mo, is there a concern at all that this spring would be contaminated by road debris, salt etc? Unlike Ancaster this does not flow from a pipe making it more difficult to gather?
I’m not worried about road debris, if you are then just wait 24 hours after a rain (or snow) fall and the spring should flush itself out with new water and wash any water born debris away. If it was a heavily traveled road or something I would be more concerned, and would wish it had more protection.
It is a bit more difficult to collect as you have to lift the bottles up from so low but its not so much so that it deters people from gathering (it seems very well used), it doesn’t bother me.
I live in the detroit area and just moved back from Germany where I had access to great water from my tap and from local springs. I did not have to educate myself since the information was posted at the spring about the water. I really would like to visit the spring at Pushlich could you offer and tip for our trip there? Are there any group that meet and hike to springs?
Thanks,
Angela
This may be my favourite Spring. The water tasted soooo good and refreshing. The only caveat is we had to dig our whole jug into the well “dug out”. But it’s not a deal breaker. We’ll definitely go again.
I’m curious if you also test for other substances like arsenic? It appears safe arsenic levels have been lowered by government agency and now the neighbouring spring in Ancaster will be shut down, despite its levels remaining where they’ve always been and despite the spring being in heavy use for generations. …I’m curious how this arsenic agenda is affecting other springs
How do we test this water to really make sure that there is no contamination. I’m pregnant and we don’t want to take any risks. I have called around and it is very difficult to obtain response or help with regards to water testing!
I have just heard about this spring and the last posting is from May 2017. I’m wondering if the spring is still open and if it is safe for consumption.
Please advise. Also, can anyone provide directions from Oakville?
I Tested on May 28th- with a Kit from TCS store – 20$
Tested free Of coliform and E-coli.
Sample colour stayed yellow as per instructions – when mixed with test powder of a 60hr incubation @ 20*c
Well that totally sucks!
After finding this site and reading all the test results from good to bad, sheesh!
My first thought was that Nestle contaminated it since the CEO has said “only the rich are entitled to water” and our government is letting them suck us dry…costs me more to flush my toilet than what they’re paying.
Natural Resources shouldn’t be for sale/profit.
Hi Sam,
I collected my sample last week on July 7 around 7 pm and got my result yesterday, still not good coliform 7, e coli 3. Just curious if you collected your sample same day, it appears that it gets a little bit better, I will do another test this week or next.
Regardless if we happen to get or not bacteria, parasites, etc. from the water we should still do a generic cleanse for the entire body. If you do a proper test (bioresonance, etc.) for parasites you will be surprised how much and what variety gathered in our bodies (intestines, liver, brain, adrenals, bone marrow, blood, etc.) for decades.
DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER. I did a test with Public Health Ontario, July 7, 2016: Total coliform per 100 ml: 12, E. coli per 100 ml: 4. “UNSAFE TO DRINK Evidence of faecal contamination.” There is likely contamination from nearby farm.
Since my last posting of March 26, 2015 I tested the water once a month and it was always clean, such as 0 coliform and 0 Ecoli, I did not take water during hard rains or spring thawing of the snow.
I was surprised to test it last Thursday June 23, 2016 and the test came out from Public Health as coliform 54 and Ecoli 32. As mentioned by Razhar on May 4/15 I should resample the water. If the test stays true then is a sewage contamination or something similar, unfortunately we will discard the water this time and retest.
I know that I took the test correctly, but it’s hard to believe such a high contamination for such a huge aquifer, see Guelph-Amabel aquifer (Hamilton to Orangeville) http://thecannon.ca/news/story/a_look_inside_one_of_the_biggest_water_bottling_plants_in_canada
Anybody else tested it recently?
The chemical composition of the spring water would cost around $200, there is a lab in Waterloo, this is where the Public Health passes the buck on our own pockets for health concerns regarding atrazine or other toxic pesticides or chemical infiltrations from other industries. However it appears that this aquifer is better protected while the water is coming (actually as Daniel Vitalis mentioned it’s being levitated) from the deep compared with regular well water that is more at risk for contamination.
There is also a documentary on youtube about big corporations taking over people’s potable water.
The difference in buying their water instead of collecting it from the source directly is that we don’t know how they treat the water before bottling, even if it’s known completely, although the chemical composition of the water would be the same the energetic structure will change…not in our favour. Not to mention the obvious – the water is bottled in plastic that contains BPA (a known hormonal blocker), PVC and other toxic plastic components; recycled plastic is the worst as it has any possible toxic.
oh man James, I lol’d at your comment. The easiest thing you can do is watch Daniel vitalis’ video on you tube about spring water. Once you see that you will understand.
Is this the same spring that Nestle uses for their water bottles? Read that they also use this spring water. What is the difference between getting water from here and buying the ones in the supermarket?
Heading up this way for the long weekend. Any new test and/or info on this spring. Trusting it is still safe. We are new to naturally sourced spring water. Found and tried water from Queenston last week, it is fantastic! Thank you for the info on that. So, back to Puslinch… should we still boil it as I’m reading above.. or is has it been tested more recently. Thanks again for sharing this very valuable information.
Has anyone been out to this spring recently and had it tested? I am looking for a good drinking water spring and also spring water for making my natural soaps. Namaste
We have been enjoying water from this spring for 4 years and appreciate all the e-coli info and tests that findaspring.com users post occassionally.
I am interested, however, if anyone is able to do a chemical analysis of the water? The spring is surrounded by farmers’ fields (i.e. pesticides, etc.) so it seems a chemical assessment would be very useful.
Additionally, when this water sits in a large bowl for a while an oily-ish film develops on the surface. Any ideas what this might be?
I collected water from the spring on May 31, 2015 and had it tested. The results just came in and my sample had 0 E. Coli and 0 coliforms; therefore, zero significant evidence of bacterial contamination. Cheers!
I went there this morning for the first time and captured 16 gallons in 3 glass carboys. You can lay the carboy on its side just outside the metal enclosure with the spout directed towards the opening in the enclosure.
I found the taste quite rich in minerals. My taste buds tell me it’s rich in sodium, maybe something else. Is this a seasonal taste or is it always like this?
Giana, thanks for testing the water. Regular test, and posting the results helps everyone who benefits from this spring. I’ve been getting water from this Spring for more than an year now, and my family and I love it.
For those who don’t know about E.Coli and Colifrom, this is what Health Canada’s website says :-
Total Coliforms:
The presence of total coliform bacteria in well water is a result of surface water infiltration or seepage from a septic system. According to Health Canada’sGuidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (Sixth Edition, 1996), drinking water should not contain more than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL of water. Any water containing more than this amount should be resampled. If the repeat sample contains more than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL, corrective action should be taken immediately.
Water containing fewer than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL is considered marginally safe to drink. Nevertheless, the water should be resampled. If fewer than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL are detected, the cause of contamination should be determined if possible and corrective action taken as appropriate.
E. coli:
E. coli appear in water samples recently contaminated by faecal matter; thus, they indicate the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria, viruses or protozoa. Water containing E. coli is not safe to drink. Corrective action should be taken immediately.
I would love to help build an enclosure. I am not sure how or what materials would be necessary but would offer a hand if anyone knows what they are doing?
I have been using the spring for over a year now and it has changed my life. I do not boil the water but it sounds like I should now that it is spring? I don’t seem to notice any adverse effects but would appreciate any input:)
My family and I come regularly for water in this place, I ran some tests and throughout the winter it stayed 0 coliform and 0 E.coli. Now with the thawing of the snow the creek level is equal with the spring level.
The test of March 21, 2015 came out with 1.0 coliform and 0 E.coli, therefore we are boiling the water at this point.
I am wondering what it would take to build a proper enclosure that would protect the source from outside contaminants and have a better way to pour water directly into the water jug instead of dipping a vessel inside to capture the water. It appears to be on a private land.
For a water so natural and free of so many harmful chemicals I can’t help but thank to Mother Earth in return for this natural resource and appreciate Matt’s words of reverence.
Giani and family
I go to this spring every 3-4 weeks. My wife, who is pregnant, and I and our four year old have been drinking this water almost exclusively for a couple years. We have a real hard time drinking tap water when we have to, now that we’re so used to this water. We have never experienced any negative feelings from this water.
Most of the time I meet people from Hamilton or the GTA here too; I love that this spring is part of the commons and is a meeting place of sorts.
Occasionally I meet people here who have a ‘taker’ mentality and just treat the spring like a resource to take from. Back in the day, springs were recognized by more people as sacred sites, and they paid their respect to these sources of life. I would love to bring back more reverence and respect into our relationship with our springs.
Whenever I come here I make some offerings and share some words of gratitude with this place – not just the spring itself, but the pocket of forest and wetland around it. It’s a special spot and I love being in relationship with it.
I visited this spring in Sept 2014 and had the water tested – it came back with a score of 0 (no significant evidence of bacterial contamination; total coliform <5, E. coli = 0)
Hi.. I am new to this site and would like to check out this spring but, there haven’t been any recent postings. Does anyone know if this water is still good -Bacteria, ph, tds, etc? Tx.
I am PISSED. A friend and I went here yesterday and met an odd man by the name of Frank who says he goes there every day to drink the water, and often JUMPS right into it— his whole body. This man bathes; his sweat, dirt, skin cells, toxins and who knows what else INTO the spring that people collect water out of. WTF do we do?
The TDS is already high and HE IS DEFINITELY INCREASING IT! I’m ANGRY! Our livers & kidneys do not need HIS extra shit to filter out.
been to this location many times, pretty good water no problems. is it safe tho that the water is coming out of a spout that is rusting and has other growths aound it, isnt it bad to drink and polluting the water? also whats better alkaline or non alkaline water?
Hi guys! Went and picked up water samples this passed tuesday (june 4th) and called in for the results just on friday (june 7th). Everything got cleared for 0 and ). The water tastes great and looks just find. very clear and clean and crisp. Peace everybody 🙂
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will be going there within a week to collect water for sample drinking and i will also try and do a sample kit for public health lab testing. i will keep people on here updated. This spring looks rather trusted and clean though. R.I.P. to Mo Rosati who has done great work for bringing healthy drinking water to the awareness of a lot of people he has recently passed away! He has left a ton of great videos of his work. what a great and beautiful man 😀 All the best yall PEACE
Visited this spring today and met another nice spring-finder who found this one through this website! Had a nice chat with him about findaspring.com. As for the water, we bought new plastic jugs today and washed them out before filling our containers for good. Boiled some of it when we got home, chilled it to have a drink of it tonight and we enjoy it, but we find the water very metallic tasting. We speculate it’s probably minerals from the rocks at the bottom of the well or the metal pipe encasing the spring causing the taste, but were not too sure. Could be the plastic from our containers too. My brother thinks it could just be the acidity of the water were tasting. Anyone else encounter a metallic taste from this 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.
Written by Dakota Chanel. Water Priestess and Ceremonialist. DakotaChanel.com
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Just went a trip to Lake Superior a week or two ago. We drank water from this spring the whole way and back. We felt fine, we felt great. Also in response to someone’s comment about stinky water … some people say you must let water breathe every day bc it is alive. If it’s natural water from nature and is kept sealed it will end up smelling swampy. I do that now too.
Been drinking this water for ages and have passed the word on to many – no one has ever been sick – water tastes wonderful and refreshing.
Have been coming to this spring for more than a decade. My last three fills have not been good. Clean jugs and they start to smell like pond water within 2-3 days (stored in dark location)
Never had this happen before. Curious if any others have a report on this. I have never gotten sick but it’s hard to drink with this smell. Sad, hope it is just seasonal issues which has happened one summer in about 2015…
I love this spring but I’ve noticed black fuzzy bits on the sides and bottom of the spring. anyone know what this is?
With the recent melt and rain the springs outlet is overtopped by the stream so I would not drink from it right now, or do boil it, there is a high probability of contamination from the stream/surface runoff.
Water levels have now fallen and spring can be collected from again. (thank goodness…I was getting tired of softened water). I collected again.
Also if you break your glass do NOT leave it in the stream! Even under the bridge. It will wash downstream and be an extreme hazard for injury. People (including the neighborhood kids, fishermen and my coworkers) are in this stream and broken glass, like what I removed today, can cause severe injury!
Thanks for the update 🙂
r v able to take this water in winter with snow too?
Yes, the spring flows all winter. Ground water stays around 6 or 7 deg so it never freezes.
I took a sample on November 27, 2012 and the results are good. 0 colliform and 0 E. coli.
Hey everyone…this is my first time going to the spring and i’m so excited about it! Has anyone tested this water recently? Also do any of you boil the water?
I took a sample on November 27, 2012 and the results are good. 0 colliform and 0 E. coli. So it looks great. Tasted great too. I do not boil it unless I get test results with some bacteria.
You can’t mistake the smell of chlorine pucks. Even the short exposure I had to the fumes gave me a headache. I also wish this spring was more protected. Some springs I have visited have been designed so that they run right out of a tap which keeps the water clean from debris and makes filling containers a lot easier.
We noticed the white pucks at the bottom of the spring too- how do you know they were chlorine pucks? Thanks for taking them out- any more thoughts on how to cover this spring so people cant put anything in it?
I went to this spring to collect water this past weekend (July 8, 2012) and found 4 chlorine pucks laying on the bottom. I removed them not only because it is like drinking pool water but because this is first and foremost a sensitive trout spawning area that chemical additives like chlorine may have some impact on.
Thanks for removing them Taras! That is disgusting that someone would put chlorine pucks in the spring!!! Totally pathetic. (glad I missed it) Very damaging not only to whoever would drink that but also to the whole stream, you are right it is a sensitive area and it would have a negative effect on the stream. Mind boggling why someone would even think to do that (other than maliciousness which would be very sad)…besides the damage to the steam and unsafeness for humans; if you wanted to drink chlorine why go to a spring at all? Just get water from your treated municipal system… Test results are always clean (except for that one blip in 2011) so no reason at all to even contemplate putting chlorine in this water.
Puslinch Natural Spring – Maddaugh Springs
On June 12,2012 I discovered this spring… a local told me about how great it is… I took a little sip… The water tasted Great and was super cold but after 5 – 10 mins I wasn’t feeling too great… Didn’t get sick or anythings… But truthfully i’m still not feeling too good… I can’t pin it to the spring… But it can’t say it wasn’t the water…
One big issue i have with this spring is the galvanized steel with a higher acidic water…
I didn’t see a posted contaminated sign… Wish I did tho…
Thank you for this website… I just found it today
A sample taken on April 29, 2012 showed 0 Coliform and 0 E. coli.
Also was nice to meet and chat with Mo at the spring that day too!
Hey Kaylee, great meeting you at the Puslinch spring! Nothing makes me happier than meeting new people at these springs, watch people building their blood with raw, wild living spring water! Keep up the great work 🙂
~ Massimo
Hi Everyone,
Here’s a vid of me & a friend discussing te power of natural spring water, enjoy!
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=6880C46AE99CB2C52CFAD366C62331F5
Thanks,
Massimo Rosati
mrosati72@gmail.com
Does anyone drive here from the GTA/ Mississauga? I’m willing to pay half of the gas expense. email: nishanthi20@hotmail.com
There is one closer to you or maybe its the same distance, (just north rather then west). Up in Terra Cotta area. I’ve visited and it was nice. https://find-a-spring-stage.local/belfountain-beauty-spring-belfountain-ontario-canada/
Sample taken Feb 5, 2012 had results of 0 Coliform and 0 E. coli.
Went to the spring today (Dec 3) and got some water. There was a sign saying the water has not been tested but without further information. Should we always boil before drinking? Does that not change the value of it? Is this water contaminated? How do we test it?
The government has to put that sign up. Kaylee tested the water and as of nov 2 all is good. Boil if you wish.
A sample taken on November 2, 2011 show good results: 1 Coliform and 0 E. coli so the water should be safe to drink without boiling again.
Someone just posted a printed out sheet saying it has been contaminated
with a bunch of e-coli. Better not use it until further testing.
Where else do we go now???
You can still drink it.
If you want to kill the bacteria just boil the water before drinking.
Often people still drink contaminated water without boiling (like others posting here) and have no adverse effects, it just means there is the possibility of adverse effects (young and old are at the biggest risk). Bacteria is an indicator of contamination, not a guarantee of having an effect on you.
Do your own research people.
It’s your health.
Don’t just go on word of mouth or forum posts….(I do still feel that spring water is the healthiest option for me but) There are risks in drinking from a source like this. KNOW the risks.
The testing results are posted below. (Reading previous posts is useful.
It was printed out two weeks before the above post, not “just” printed)
I’d appreciate if others taking tests would post the results here so others can be informed as well and make an informed decision on the drinking from this source.
Good advice Kaylee!! It is important to be informed and understand the risks involved. Still no issues from drinking this water.
In case people don’t read ‘newest post first’ I’ll repeat it here :Sample taken Feb 5, 2012 had results of 0 Coliform and 0 E. coli.
Thanks so much for all your hard work in the testing of this spring Kaylee! With these new results of zero bacterial contamination I think I’ll be checking out this spring very soon 🙂
I was just there today and saw the sign, it said the water was tested on sept 20. On sept 17 I collected 10 gallons and drank it all with no adverse effects. I collected some any ways, I might send a sample to a lab. So far so good though.
I took another water sample on September 20th 2011 and the results are shocking: It came back as having 15 Coliform and 13 E. coli! This is considered unsafe for drinking. (even though I have been drinking it…)
I took another water sample on Aug 23, 2011 and had some disappointing results: 1 E. coli and 1 Coliform. The E. coli shows that there is some sewage contamination. Any E. coli and the ministry deems the water unsafe for drinking.
I just collected some bottles today and had a drink while I was there. This worries me a little… Where so you go to have the water tested? I’m in GUelph, I have more bottles of the water I drank. Would appreciate your thoughts.
I also drank some while I was there taking the sample. I again disclaim I am not an expert (just wielding the sample bottle and my own opinion). It was a week ago so it may be flushed out and clean again by now just watch how you feel and consult a doctor if you get diarrhea (especially bloody they say, with E. coli involved) I did a bit of a internet search after the results came back and found: The E. coli is just an indicator, it doesn’t mean there is something there that will cause problems but the possibility is there. E. coli is an indicator that fecal waste has contaminated the water (could be animal or human no way to tell) and that could lead to disease transfer. May be TMI but I did have a bit of diarrhea 5 days after picking up the last batch but I chalked it up to something I ate as I feel much much better on the spring water (even with a little bacteria) than I do on the RO water I was drinking before, where I had severe issues every single day (and yes, the water was the only thing I changed). I don’t mind drinking it with a little bit of coliform but the e.coli not so much. Sycologicaly I just can’t stand drinking what is contaminated with fecal waste…
I’ll be back later this week for another sample.
I get it tested through the Ministry of Health (those single household use bottles you can pick up, as it is my primary source of water, I just am also sharing the information). I am a bit worried if I take to many samples that come back like this one did that they will shut it down and make it unable to be collected from. (The form requires the location of the sample to be stated and I don’t fib that, not sure they pay attention to it or not)
Hi Brenda, thanks again for taking the time to test the water for us. I’ve had an uncomfortable feeling about it before you told me the results and I’ve already been on the look out for a new source. We’re probably going to stick to the ancaster water for now just to be safe. Although, it is highly unlikely anything would happen to you if you continued to drink from this source. Not sure what’s contaminating it but I think now a spout or lid are probably the best options if anyone wants any help e-mail me at mlbtopshotta@hotmail.com
FOR ANYONE WHO IS STILL DRINKING FROM THIS SOURCE, before collecting your water use your hand to sweep all floating debris from the back area out of the spout. Try to get as much of the non-moving back water out as possible. Once it looks clean let it flow for 5 or 10 minutes and wash itself out. When you collect try to always point your container into the flow. Try not to collect water from the back area.I will post a note at the spring so anyone who doesn’t use this site will know this information as well.
I took a sample on August 3, 2011 (conferred with Mark so we were not duplicating effort. And I was delayed a bit because I did not fully fill out the paperwork when submitted and they do not test then.) and the results have come back showing “Significant Bacteria” results with 8 total coliform and 0 E. coli. (I’ve been drinking the water since though). It did rain the night before I took the sample so wonder if maybe that washed some contamination in? I will take another sample later this week or early next week (whenever the current rain goes away for a bit) to see if anything changes. I am very disappointed that some people have seemed to start using the pull off as an area to dump and wonder if a sign should be put up. Would the dumping have any effect on the spring? Or maybe the bacteria is a result of the drought somehow? Or the rain that happened the day before the sample?
So Aug 3, 2011 results : 8 Total Coliform and 0 E. coli
Hey Kaylee,
Good feedback, if a little disapointing. I realise not all bacteria have to be bad, but I guess you never know. Be interesting to know whether the the hot weather, the rain fall or the dumping is causing this. I need to get involved in the sampling with the rest of you guys I guess. I’m taking a rest from the spring for a bit, though it’s never effected me in a bad way. Will get back involved in a month or two.
Cheers,
Clive
I have been drinking this water since early this year and like others I’ve noticed debris floating in there from time to time. I’ve never been too concerned about it, and I usually just sweep it towards the spout because it can get trapped outside the normal flow. In the last month or 2 I have noticed a lot more tree/road debris in there so I made a large cover for the top. It is fairly light but I tried to make it heavy enough that the wind wouldn’t blow it away in a storm. I’m not much of a handyman so I’m open to suggestions on improving it. Also, if anybody has a reason why it shouldn’t be covered please let me know as well.
Also, like someone else mentioned I would be interested in possibly converting the pipe to a spout in the future. If anyone has more info please contact me about that as well as I would be willing to help as much as I can to maintain this fresh natural drinking source.You can contact me at mlbtopshotta@hotmail.com
I’m in the process of testing the water so I will post the results once I get them.
I am actually heading there today and just came on here to see if anyone had tested the water recently. I will have a look at your contraption and see if I have any suggestions on how to improve. Thanks for taking the time to imrpove this amazing resource.
Hey all… I was thinking about some of the comments by people who were interested in creating a shelter and spout for this spring. I went there for the first time a few weeks ago and am loving the water and think it would be a great idea to tend to it in this way. Is anyone out there still interested in that? Now that the weather is turning it’s the perfect time to rally together with skills and supplies to do it. I’m about as handy as building ikea furniture, but would be willing to put in a bit for supplies (if other people are too). If you’re thinking you want to participate send a comment here so we can get organized. Let’s keep this source clean and flowing!
I’ve started visiting this spring and have been loving the water. I took a sample for bacterial testing on April 10, 2011 and the results came back zero on both Total Coliform & E.Coli. There does seem to be high mineral content as I do get lots of deposits when boiling for tea but the water does not have any visible suspended bits (as some of the visitors below have described, maybe it just need a while to flush out from the construction).
is the water from this spring constantly flowing clean? Because where its coming out of looks rusty and the water filled in there looks unclean. Is it safe to drink?
Hi Mo,
Visited the spring today and collected three bottles of water. Was wondering if you have done any new tests on the spring. Will probably end up taking samples to the lab to have them analyzed as well for bacterial contamination. Was just wondering if any new tests had revealed any new info on this spring.
Thanks,
Rachael
jbakker@uoguelph.ca
Hi Rachael,
I was wondering if you’d had your samples analyzed?
I recently got some glass car boys and will be collecting from Puslinch spring pretty soon. I was also wondering what the best way to clean/sterilize the glass vessel prior to collecting more spring water? Any tips from others?
Thanks,
Clive
Hi Clive.. not sure if you got your answer yet but I do a mix of hot soapy water (to remove any surface stuff that’s accumulated), swirl and shake it around, drain and rinse this and then soak with food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Kerry
Thanks for your reply Kerry. Believe it or not I have some food grade HP in the freezer and so will use it next time for cleaning. I guess you rinse that out afterwards also.
Question for the group: Has anyone used the Adya Clarity product? I bought some and use it with this water. It certainly drops out a bunch of disolved residues/solids if left to sit for 24 hours. Another question: I probably drink 1 1/2 – 2 liters of this water a day and this is the only water I consume. Do you think this is ok? Should I maybe vary the sources of water I’m drinking, a bit like a varied exercise routine? Thanks all!
I also use it as my main water source. I am by NO means an expert but think it should be fine as the only water you consume. If you are concerned about other contaminants and such you can take samples for other parameters (but they would cost you to test. The bacteria sampling is free but that is ONLY the two bacteria contaminations. My co-worker, whos a water guy, says the basic ones for drinking water run around 150$ but testing for very specific things, like pesticide residues, would run you up to 800$). The only thing you may want to consider is the hardness or TDS. I’m not an expert but don’t think you would want those much higher than this spring is…that being said I grew up on well water that was VERY hard and I seem to have turned out fine. 😛 (probably as high or higher than the hardness of this water) I actually feel better when I have some nice hard water (as opposed to RO water or even the nasty tasting softened water).
But you may want to wait for someone who actually knows what they are talking about. 😛
Hi, I was there just yesterday and filled up a glass bottle. When l got home I poured some into a glass and looked at it through a bright light. I noticed some fine thin particles floating around. Probably the same thing that Deb noticed. I drank the water anyway and it tasted great. Does anyone know what these particles are? Should I be worried about them? Should I filter them out?
Thanks,
Chris.
Hi Chris,
I was there collecting water yesterday and did not see any particles floating around in our carboys except for some algae.
The concern wouldn’t be with large particles as they are probably macromolecules of minerals. The concern really lies in bacterial contamination, if above a certain amount. Unfortunately, you cannot see bacteria floating around.
I wouldn’t be too concerned with the particles. If it bugs you, I would recommend filtering out those particles with a coffee filter. Then again, you are drinking live water, meaning that there are important species in that water that can significantly contribute to your overall health and well being. This would include diatoms, wonderful little phytoplankton from the aglae family. They are wonderful for mecainically killing parasites. Algae is another example and an excellent source of vitamins. It is now being cultivated as a health supplement. Many asian countries have been eating it for thousands of years. If you have eaten seaweed, you have eaten a form of algae.
Anyways, the point being, a coffee filter may remove those important nutrients from the water you are drinking. So keep that in mind when filtering.
Algae is excellent for keeping water clean of chemicals and fertilizer run off from nearby farms. I saw a bit of algae along the galvanized culvert, but I would not deem that as a bad thing. It would serve a great purpose in keeping that water clean and the layer was not very thick.
However, too much algae can indicate that there is a significant amount of nutritional waste in the water. This does not have to mean human waste, it could simply be decayed leaves and grass.
Also, algae are autotrophic organisms (photosynthetic- like plants) that require energy from the sun. If there is too much algae this can indicate that the water is in direct exposure to the sun. This would not be beneficial for those drinking the water as water molecules are broken down by the sun’s energy.
However, my partner and I have been drinking the water and seems to be ok so far in regards to bacterial contamination. I have not received a temperature or any other symptoms indicating infection.
I would not say that there is absolutely ZERO bacteria in this water. However, a manageable amount of bacteria is important in keeping your immune system strong. I believe low levels of bacteria and there other live organisms in this water and extremely beneficial to our health.
Its when bacteria levels are significantly high and the body cannot get rid of the large amount, especially in proliferation, that cause infection. However, the body is designed to eliminiate bacterial infections better than viral infections. As for this moment, I am not overly concerned with drinking this water, especially this time of year as the temperatures are very cold and bacteria need certain temperatures to survive, I would assume that the level of bacterial contamination in this water at this time of year is low.
On Monday, I am sending in a sample to the public health lab here in Hamilton for bacterial analysis.
I will post the results as soon as I get the results back.
Hope this info helps.
I’m in Niagara Falls and was wondering how does one transfer this water home for use. Is large plastic bottles safe….or where would I find a large enough glass jar. Could you contact me by email with an answer. Thank You In Advance. Joe @ joetouch@hotmail.com
Hey Joe 🙂
From What Mo and Daniel Vitalis say you can use plastic bottles if that’s all you have or go to a wine making store and get some glass carboys (bottles) of all different sizes.
For how to transport go to about 3:20 on this video (or watch the whole thing:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk44Y982v4M
I’ve been told you want to keep the water out of the sun and kept cool, so I wrap the bottles in an old jacket, blanket or sweater etc for transport as well as at home. When home you’ll want to keep them in a cool dark place.
Here’s a video by Mo who did the video about this spring talking about what I’ve just stated. 🙂
Peace
Jesse
Here’s the Mo video. 🙂 I thought I put it in there but……….here it is, enjoy. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIZe0iTJQis
Jesse
Thanks for that Jesse! Some good information there.
I just came accross the websites and it is so wonderful! I knew of one spring in the area(Greensprings, its also an EarthCache) but was unsure if it was drinkable or not. Until last summer I had the most wonderful drinking water at work. We had a spring source that came straight to the ‘office’ building and I loved it and would take it home to drink. Sadly because it is a workplace and the TDS were a bit high they re-vamped the whole system and now we are FORCED to drink overly salted softened water or nutrient defficient and dead tasting RO water. While I am grateful we at least have the RO I was extreemly upset when they did not even give us an option of an un-softened tap. Talk about taking our water rights away… So disappointing…the best water I’ve had in a very very long time and they go and ruin it. My water at (my rented) home is worse, softened to the point I can hardly drink it sometimes…not refreshing in the least! So bad my tea and flavored drinks even taste bad! I finally decided there had to be a site like this to find local spring sources. So grateful to have found it. Will be making a trip to my local springs this week.
Hi…I’m so glad I found this site after watching another video from the Longevity Conference. I’m in Niagara Fallls and wonder; what is best for transporting and saving this water for use.?
Hi Mo,
Thanks for posting the info about this spring. I have collected from this spring for about 7 years. The longest collectors I have met was an elderly couple who have been going there for over 30 years, I have only heard good things about it.
The interruption from the new bridge was a frustration, but have been happy to be able to access it again. I have concerns about it though, and I would appreciate your thoughts. My friend who was visiting me noticed some tiny white floating particles in the water. We went to the source and checked it out with a clear glass and it is definitely coming out that way. I don’t know if this is a new thing from the new set up or was always the case from the previous set up? What do you think it could be? Is it safe? Is it just natural minerals, you said it was low on calcium? Am I so programmed to drink filtered water that I can’t even recognize good water when I see it? It seems safe, and your testing is reassuring, I have poured the water through a natural coffee filter, it took out most of it.
Thank you
Deb
I’m going today for the first time this sounds a little weird, as well as the structure it’s coming from. I would really like to hear what Mo has to say about this as well. 🙂
Haven’t been back on for a while so here is my update. After I filtered the first jug, I decided it was kind of a pain and not necessary, so I didn’t filter the rest of them (3). I didn’t experience any ill effect. I probably go about once/month and I kind of forgot about it since it didn’t seem a problem, so I don’t know when it stopped but they don’t seem to be in the water now. Maybe something to keep an eye on seasonally, ie. see if it happens again 7 months from now.
Anyway, it’s curious, but not a big worry, I think.
Cheers
Deb
This springs great!! just curious if any body else who uses it likes when people throw things in the main watering hole ????? Me i dont want it to be a wishing well full of coins so im wondering if anybody wants to improve it with me and fix it up a bit. some sort of cover or back fill it a bit maybe even a spout? im game for ideas
THanks
jay
Hi Jay,
Yes I don’t like things thrown in, I noticed that too. I have never seen any problems, like this before in all of my time going there. A cover and spout would be great!
Deb
Hey Jay,
Count me in on any fix up we can do here. It really does need some sort of cover, especially to shield from sunlight, as well as keeping out debris. Keep me in the loop!
~ Massimo
mrosati72@gmail.com
Mo, is there a concern at all that this spring would be contaminated by road debris, salt etc? Unlike Ancaster this does not flow from a pipe making it more difficult to gather?
Mo, is there a concern at all that this spring would be contaminated by road debris, salt etc? Unlike Ancaster this does not flow from a pipe making it more difficult to gather?
I’m not worried about road debris, if you are then just wait 24 hours after a rain (or snow) fall and the spring should flush itself out with new water and wash any water born debris away. If it was a heavily traveled road or something I would be more concerned, and would wish it had more protection.
It is a bit more difficult to collect as you have to lift the bottles up from so low but its not so much so that it deters people from gathering (it seems very well used), it doesn’t bother me.
I live in the detroit area and just moved back from Germany where I had access to great water from my tap and from local springs. I did not have to educate myself since the information was posted at the spring about the water. I really would like to visit the spring at Pushlich could you offer and tip for our trip there? Are there any group that meet and hike to springs?
Thanks,
Angela
Awesome, thanks for sharing all the info Mo, I look forward to visiting the spring
This may be my favourite Spring. The water tasted soooo good and refreshing. The only caveat is we had to dig our whole jug into the well “dug out”. But it’s not a deal breaker. We’ll definitely go again.
Collected water May 15 2017
Testing results:
Total Coliform per 100 ml is 3
E Coli per 100 ml 0
“No significant evidence of bacterial contamination”
I’m curious if you also test for other substances like arsenic? It appears safe arsenic levels have been lowered by government agency and now the neighbouring spring in Ancaster will be shut down, despite its levels remaining where they’ve always been and despite the spring being in heavy use for generations. …I’m curious how this arsenic agenda is affecting other springs
Hi gang,
How do we test this water to really make sure that there is no contamination. I’m pregnant and we don’t want to take any risks. I have called around and it is very difficult to obtain response or help with regards to water testing!
has anyone tested mineral content + specifically heavy metals & other pollutants?
I have just heard about this spring and the last posting is from May 2017. I’m wondering if the spring is still open and if it is safe for consumption.
Please advise. Also, can anyone provide directions from Oakville?
Has anyone tested this spring..is it safe to drink or no
Doesn’t look like it…why don’t you chip in and run some tests?
I Tested on May 28th- with a Kit from TCS store – 20$
Tested free Of coliform and E-coli.
Sample colour stayed yellow as per instructions – when mixed with test powder of a 60hr incubation @ 20*c
Well that totally sucks!
After finding this site and reading all the test results from good to bad, sheesh!
My first thought was that Nestle contaminated it since the CEO has said “only the rich are entitled to water” and our government is letting them suck us dry…costs me more to flush my toilet than what they’re paying.
Natural Resources shouldn’t be for sale/profit.
I drew water on the 19th of Oct. and had it tested.
Unfortunately it still comes back positive for Coliform!! not recomended for drinking.
on the bright side, I did the full nitrate and led test, and it was 0ppm for both.
This well is still not where it needs to be, Shame I absolutely loved this water.
Hi Sam,
I collected my sample last week on July 7 around 7 pm and got my result yesterday, still not good coliform 7, e coli 3. Just curious if you collected your sample same day, it appears that it gets a little bit better, I will do another test this week or next.
Regardless if we happen to get or not bacteria, parasites, etc. from the water we should still do a generic cleanse for the entire body. If you do a proper test (bioresonance, etc.) for parasites you will be surprised how much and what variety gathered in our bodies (intestines, liver, brain, adrenals, bone marrow, blood, etc.) for decades.
DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER. I did a test with Public Health Ontario, July 7, 2016: Total coliform per 100 ml: 12, E. coli per 100 ml: 4. “UNSAFE TO DRINK Evidence of faecal contamination.” There is likely contamination from nearby farm.
Hi Giani, thanks for the update. I have been gathering and drinking this water for a while. Will boil it first now.
Since my last posting of March 26, 2015 I tested the water once a month and it was always clean, such as 0 coliform and 0 Ecoli, I did not take water during hard rains or spring thawing of the snow.
I was surprised to test it last Thursday June 23, 2016 and the test came out from Public Health as coliform 54 and Ecoli 32. As mentioned by Razhar on May 4/15 I should resample the water. If the test stays true then is a sewage contamination or something similar, unfortunately we will discard the water this time and retest.
I know that I took the test correctly, but it’s hard to believe such a high contamination for such a huge aquifer, see Guelph-Amabel aquifer (Hamilton to Orangeville) http://thecannon.ca/news/story/a_look_inside_one_of_the_biggest_water_bottling_plants_in_canada
Anybody else tested it recently?
The chemical composition of the spring water would cost around $200, there is a lab in Waterloo, this is where the Public Health passes the buck on our own pockets for health concerns regarding atrazine or other toxic pesticides or chemical infiltrations from other industries. However it appears that this aquifer is better protected while the water is coming (actually as Daniel Vitalis mentioned it’s being levitated) from the deep compared with regular well water that is more at risk for contamination.
Nestle is getting greedy and takes over more wells in Elora, etc.,
Nestle water dispute from Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/nestle-water-ontario-dispute/article27509298/
There is also a documentary on youtube about big corporations taking over people’s potable water.
The difference in buying their water instead of collecting it from the source directly is that we don’t know how they treat the water before bottling, even if it’s known completely, although the chemical composition of the water would be the same the energetic structure will change…not in our favour. Not to mention the obvious – the water is bottled in plastic that contains BPA (a known hormonal blocker), PVC and other toxic plastic components; recycled plastic is the worst as it has any possible toxic.
Stay healthy,
Giani and family
oh man James, I lol’d at your comment. The easiest thing you can do is watch Daniel vitalis’ video on you tube about spring water. Once you see that you will understand.
Hello all,
Does anyone have a recent update on the water quality of this spring.
Thank you!
Is this the same spring that Nestle uses for their water bottles? Read that they also use this spring water. What is the difference between getting water from here and buying the ones in the supermarket?
Heading up this way for the long weekend. Any new test and/or info on this spring. Trusting it is still safe. We are new to naturally sourced spring water. Found and tried water from Queenston last week, it is fantastic! Thank you for the info on that. So, back to Puslinch… should we still boil it as I’m reading above.. or is has it been tested more recently. Thanks again for sharing this very valuable information.
Has anyone been out to this spring recently and had it tested? I am looking for a good drinking water spring and also spring water for making my natural soaps. Namaste
We have been enjoying water from this spring for 4 years and appreciate all the e-coli info and tests that findaspring.com users post occassionally.
I am interested, however, if anyone is able to do a chemical analysis of the water? The spring is surrounded by farmers’ fields (i.e. pesticides, etc.) so it seems a chemical assessment would be very useful.
Additionally, when this water sits in a large bowl for a while an oily-ish film develops on the surface. Any ideas what this might be?
Thanks so much and enjoy the spring!
went to collect for the first time at any spring ever! so crisp and clean and cold! thank you mother nature! <3
Any new test results?
Thank you kindly,
Michael & Thea
Hello,
My partner and I were wondering if anyone has any recent tests results?
We have been coming to this spring for almost two years now. We love and respect the spring and enjoy meeting old and new faces when visiting.
Thanks,
Michael & Thea
I collected water from the spring on May 31, 2015 and had it tested. The results just came in and my sample had 0 E. Coli and 0 coliforms; therefore, zero significant evidence of bacterial contamination. Cheers!
I’d like to try this water, but see a post above that indicates a 1.0 coliform count. What is the best way for me to get it tested now?
Sam.
I went there this morning for the first time and captured 16 gallons in 3 glass carboys. You can lay the carboy on its side just outside the metal enclosure with the spout directed towards the opening in the enclosure.
I found the taste quite rich in minerals. My taste buds tell me it’s rich in sodium, maybe something else. Is this a seasonal taste or is it always like this?
Giana, thanks for testing the water. Regular test, and posting the results helps everyone who benefits from this spring. I’ve been getting water from this Spring for more than an year now, and my family and I love it.
For those who don’t know about E.Coli and Colifrom, this is what Health Canada’s website says :-
Total Coliforms:
The presence of total coliform bacteria in well water is a result of surface water infiltration or seepage from a septic system. According to Health Canada’sGuidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (Sixth Edition, 1996), drinking water should not contain more than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL of water. Any water containing more than this amount should be resampled. If the repeat sample contains more than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL, corrective action should be taken immediately.
Water containing fewer than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL is considered marginally safe to drink. Nevertheless, the water should be resampled. If fewer than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100 mL are detected, the cause of contamination should be determined if possible and corrective action taken as appropriate.
E. coli:
E. coli appear in water samples recently contaminated by faecal matter; thus, they indicate the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria, viruses or protozoa. Water containing E. coli is not safe to drink. Corrective action should be taken immediately.
(Source: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/well-puits-eng.php)
I would love to help build an enclosure. I am not sure how or what materials would be necessary but would offer a hand if anyone knows what they are doing?
I have been using the spring for over a year now and it has changed my life. I do not boil the water but it sounds like I should now that it is spring? I don’t seem to notice any adverse effects but would appreciate any input:)
My family and I come regularly for water in this place, I ran some tests and throughout the winter it stayed 0 coliform and 0 E.coli. Now with the thawing of the snow the creek level is equal with the spring level.
The test of March 21, 2015 came out with 1.0 coliform and 0 E.coli, therefore we are boiling the water at this point.
I am wondering what it would take to build a proper enclosure that would protect the source from outside contaminants and have a better way to pour water directly into the water jug instead of dipping a vessel inside to capture the water. It appears to be on a private land.
For a water so natural and free of so many harmful chemicals I can’t help but thank to Mother Earth in return for this natural resource and appreciate Matt’s words of reverence.
Giani and family
I go to this spring every 3-4 weeks. My wife, who is pregnant, and I and our four year old have been drinking this water almost exclusively for a couple years. We have a real hard time drinking tap water when we have to, now that we’re so used to this water. We have never experienced any negative feelings from this water.
Most of the time I meet people from Hamilton or the GTA here too; I love that this spring is part of the commons and is a meeting place of sorts.
Occasionally I meet people here who have a ‘taker’ mentality and just treat the spring like a resource to take from. Back in the day, springs were recognized by more people as sacred sites, and they paid their respect to these sources of life. I would love to bring back more reverence and respect into our relationship with our springs.
Whenever I come here I make some offerings and share some words of gratitude with this place – not just the spring itself, but the pocket of forest and wetland around it. It’s a special spot and I love being in relationship with it.
Hey I was looking to grab some of this water on Thursday, anyone have any recent water testing results?
Hi Gillian,
Thanks for the update!
Michael
I visited this spring in Sept 2014 and had the water tested – it came back with a score of 0 (no significant evidence of bacterial contamination; total coliform <5, E. coli = 0)
Hello,
Just started visiting this spring last month…Heading back today.
Does anyone have an update on water quality? Im sure its good just trying to see if there is any current tests that have been done out there.
I took another sample on June 8,2014.
The results of Bacteriological Analysis show:
TOTAL COLIFORM (0) & E.Coli (0).
Ziggy do you test the water often? Where do you get it tested?
I took a sample on May 18,2014. The results of Bacteriological Analysis show:
TOTAL COLIFORM (4) & E.Coli (0).
Hello everyone,
I took a drive down to the spring at the weekend, the river was to high to harvest water.
Would appreciate a heads up by anyone local as to when we’re able to start collecting again 🙂
Thanks all!
Clive
Hi,
Does anybody drive from Toronto regularly to get spring water? I would be interested in carpooling (sharing cost of gas).
OR
Does anybody delivery water to Toronto? I’d be interested and could provide carboys.
Thanks!
Jason
Hi.. I am new to this site and would like to check out this spring but, there haven’t been any recent postings. Does anyone know if this water is still good -Bacteria, ph, tds, etc? Tx.
I am PISSED. A friend and I went here yesterday and met an odd man by the name of Frank who says he goes there every day to drink the water, and often JUMPS right into it— his whole body. This man bathes; his sweat, dirt, skin cells, toxins and who knows what else INTO the spring that people collect water out of. WTF do we do?
The TDS is already high and HE IS DEFINITELY INCREASING IT! I’m ANGRY! Our livers & kidneys do not need HIS extra shit to filter out.
Solutions, anyone?
been to this location many times, pretty good water no problems. is it safe tho that the water is coming out of a spout that is rusting and has other growths aound it, isnt it bad to drink and polluting the water? also whats better alkaline or non alkaline water?
Hi guys! Went and picked up water samples this passed tuesday (june 4th) and called in for the results just on friday (june 7th). Everything got cleared for 0 and ). The water tastes great and looks just find. very clear and clean and crisp. Peace everybody 🙂
Why was my comment not posted? I never said anything bad…
Hi Marc,
We are sorry if a comment you submitted does not appear on the site. We are just getting the site fully up and running again so please feel free to re-post your commnent 🙂
The FindASpring Team
will be going there within a week to collect water for sample drinking and i will also try and do a sample kit for public health lab testing. i will keep people on here updated. This spring looks rather trusted and clean though. R.I.P. to Mo Rosati who has done great work for bringing healthy drinking water to the awareness of a lot of people he has recently passed away! He has left a ton of great videos of his work. what a great and beautiful man 😀 All the best yall PEACE
Visited this spring today and met another nice spring-finder who found this one through this website! Had a nice chat with him about findaspring.com. As for the water, we bought new plastic jugs today and washed them out before filling our containers for good. Boiled some of it when we got home, chilled it to have a drink of it tonight and we enjoy it, but we find the water very metallic tasting. We speculate it’s probably minerals from the rocks at the bottom of the well or the metal pipe encasing the spring causing the taste, but were not too sure. Could be the plastic from our containers too. My brother thinks it could just be the acidity of the water were tasting. Anyone else encounter a metallic taste from this water?