7/18/23
The pipe that was once there has been covered up by big boulders and there is no way to get to it. There is water coming out from underneath the rock. Bring a gallon jug to fill bigger containers.
I just went there 2/10/12 and found it very easily as described. It’s literally a stone’s throw from the Becket/Chester sign. Nice cutout to pull over. The water is clear and amazing! I took a picture standing where the spring is to show how close it is to the sign.
I just went there 2/10/12 and found it very easily as described. It’s literally a stone’s throw from the Becket/Chester sign. Nice cutout to pull over. The water is clear and amazing! I took a picture standing where the spring is to show how close it is to the sign.
The gentleman at the highway dept. in Becket told me “It’s the best water in western Massachusetts!” We drive there every month from Pittsfield to fill dozens of bottles. We have, on occasion found sand or silt in the water. The town tests it for common contaminants.
this seems to describe the same spring listed as Walker Island Spring nearby.. the other listing has the correct GPS coordinates.. the google map street view has the chester/becket town line sign in view.. visitng this weekend will update 🙂
Are these listings indeed the same exact spring? If so, what is the actual name and could you re-submit it with all the correct info and any pics all together? I will repost. Thanks! ~ JS Ohlander
I think for sure this is the same spring.. it’s right past the Becket/Chester town sign and is right on the money for the GPS coordinates.. you can clearly see the spring on Google Maps streetview in the location for the Walker Spring.
The nice lady in town directed us, as did a passing car (slowed down to see if we needed help) – friendly people here!
Just past Becket town line, on the right.
Spring is oddly located on what appears to be private properly – a long black plastic pipe drapes down the hillside to the left of a small house, flows into a small homemade koi pond. Water tastes excellent, pipe is clean (minor amount of algae inside of pipe, nothing to be alarmed about).
The spring doesn’t have a name the locals told me. The spring has been there about 100 years. They found the spring when they built the road. The put in the pipe for the people to use. I talked to people who have been using the spring for over 60 years. This is what a couple local people told me.
Same here….remember going to it as a kid on the way up to Becket where the family had a lake-front home…and this was almost 30 years ago. Still there and still running….
It looks like the government got their way. They probably paid some college kids 10 buks to go and defecate at the top into the spring to make it close down.
The Becket spring was recently shut down by the bigwigs in Boston. Becket Cares Inc. is actively accepting donations to purchase a UV filter to revitalize the Becket spring. The contact information for Becket Cares Inc. is phone: 413-854-1366, address: P.O. box 303 Becket MA 01223.
The town of Becket has posted coliform bacteria testing result for Feb 2016. 5/6 test failed. Current note by the town indicates this as a warning not an imminent shutdown. Pipe has been cleaned but further testing will be done to see if it helps.
I have been visiting this spring for over two years. Water always taste excellent. Today a fist fight almost broke out between a few men who were waiting in line to fill up. Due to an older gentleman wishing to cut the line of over 4 cars (with collectively over 60+ gallons to fill) so that he could fill his two gallon container and be on his way. The very macho men in the line asserted themselves and told him he had to get in the back of the line and wait like everyone else. It was a sad sight, considering the water is free… This spring has also been recently tested and coliform bacteria was present. Still taste great. Didn’t stop me from filling up or the other 6 cars there today.
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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Becket Spring, Becket, MA
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7/18/23
The pipe that was once there has been covered up by big boulders and there is no way to get to it. There is water coming out from underneath the rock. Bring a gallon jug to fill bigger containers.
So sad to report that this spring is now just a pile of rocks!!! They dumped huge boulders over the pipe. No way to access this fantastic water.
it was bulldozed today. was going there for more than 10 years
real sad!!!
I picked up water there on 2/22/13, good water, nice flow, and I was surprised to have to wait in line on a cold evening.
pic? (having trouble)
I just went there 2/10/12 and found it very easily as described. It’s literally a stone’s throw from the Becket/Chester sign. Nice cutout to pull over. The water is clear and amazing! I took a picture standing where the spring is to show how close it is to the sign.
I just went there 2/10/12 and found it very easily as described. It’s literally a stone’s throw from the Becket/Chester sign. Nice cutout to pull over. The water is clear and amazing! I took a picture standing where the spring is to show how close it is to the sign.
The gentleman at the highway dept. in Becket told me “It’s the best water in western Massachusetts!” We drive there every month from Pittsfield to fill dozens of bottles. We have, on occasion found sand or silt in the water. The town tests it for common contaminants.
this seems to describe the same spring listed as Walker Island Spring nearby.. the other listing has the correct GPS coordinates.. the google map street view has the chester/becket town line sign in view.. visitng this weekend will update 🙂
Sootysax –
Are these listings indeed the same exact spring? If so, what is the actual name and could you re-submit it with all the correct info and any pics all together? I will repost. Thanks! ~ JS Ohlander
I think for sure this is the same spring.. it’s right past the Becket/Chester town sign and is right on the money for the GPS coordinates.. you can clearly see the spring on Google Maps streetview in the location for the Walker Spring.
Definitely the same Spring 🙂
Stopped by today and filled up a large container.
The nice lady in town directed us, as did a passing car (slowed down to see if we needed help) – friendly people here!
Just past Becket town line, on the right.
Spring is oddly located on what appears to be private properly – a long black plastic pipe drapes down the hillside to the left of a small house, flows into a small homemade koi pond. Water tastes excellent, pipe is clean (minor amount of algae inside of pipe, nothing to be alarmed about).
Flow was very good. Recommended!
I used to drive by this spring in the 1980s as a teenager..and people collecting it in bottles. Must have been there for a long time.
The spring doesn’t have a name the locals told me. The spring has been there about 100 years. They found the spring when they built the road. The put in the pipe for the people to use. I talked to people who have been using the spring for over 60 years. This is what a couple local people told me.
Same here….remember going to it as a kid on the way up to Becket where the family had a lake-front home…and this was almost 30 years ago. Still there and still running….
The spring has recently been closed.
Berkshire Eagle article says this spring is closed. Town did not want to pay for filtration system. 4/14/19
It looks like the government got their way. They probably paid some college kids 10 buks to go and defecate at the top into the spring to make it close down.
Town will be voting to keep or close down the spring this Saturday 5/12 (2018) at 7pm.
See save the Becket Spring facebook page for more information
Does anyone have an update about the coliform bacteria present in the water since Feb 2016?
The Becket spring was recently shut down by the bigwigs in Boston. Becket Cares Inc. is actively accepting donations to purchase a UV filter to revitalize the Becket spring. The contact information for Becket Cares Inc. is phone: 413-854-1366, address: P.O. box 303 Becket MA 01223.
This spring has been closed by the state. There is a possibility of re-opening it with filtration in the future.
The town of Becket has posted coliform bacteria testing result for Feb 2016. 5/6 test failed. Current note by the town indicates this as a warning not an imminent shutdown. Pipe has been cleaned but further testing will be done to see if it helps.
I have been visiting this spring for over two years. Water always taste excellent. Today a fist fight almost broke out between a few men who were waiting in line to fill up. Due to an older gentleman wishing to cut the line of over 4 cars (with collectively over 60+ gallons to fill) so that he could fill his two gallon container and be on his way. The very macho men in the line asserted themselves and told him he had to get in the back of the line and wait like everyone else. It was a sad sight, considering the water is free… This spring has also been recently tested and coliform bacteria was present. Still taste great. Didn’t stop me from filling up or the other 6 cars there today.
I used to drive by this spring in the 1980s as a teenager..and people collecting it in bottles. Must have been there for a long time.
No warning from town of Becket posted on 11/20/2016. Spring still open. Guess it passed tests.