Shelman Spring, Union Star, KY  1/5 (1)

6 people follow this spring.
Directions:

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Description

Water comes out of cave continuously. This is a magical place. I have met quite a few people there that have been drinking the water for over 30+ years. They test and do upkeep on the spring regularly.

Nearest Address

79 Bruner Ridge lane Union Star, KY 40171

Directions from Nearest Address

The spring is off of Bruner Ride just past 79, which is a huge farm. Just past that you will see a gravel road that goes downhill. Take that road and follow it back about a quarter mile and then off to the left you will see the spring. You can see the water running over the road from a good distance away. If you can’t find it, ask someone and they will know what youre talking about it.

Vital Information

  • Fee: None
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 60
  • Temp: 40 F
  • pH: 6.8

Hours Spring is Open:

24/7/365

GPS: N/A

Map Link: Shelman Spring Map

Submitted by: Brandon Gilbert

Responses

  1. Pass the pinned address, there is a gravel road on the left hand side named “Bruner Valley Road” Take that gravel road about a quarter mile and the spring is on your left. I asked the locals and it is not on public land, however the owner doesn’t mind if you fill up some jugs.

  2. The Spring is actually ACROSS the Highway from #79….It is on BRUNER Ridge LANE. Go down this gravel road for about a quarter mile. As soon as you see the water crossing the road there is a road to the left. About 100 yards long. The spring is there with a huge cement tub. Water comes out of a pipe that comes out of a cave.

  3. I had been getting my water here for almost 2 years. Had it tested in July and the Ecoli was HIGH!!! DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER. Tested professionally by Hardin Water.

  4. So if 25 on the ecoli test is bad, how will it make you sick?  What are  the symptoms you would you get, I know many people who are drinking this water and seem healthy. It makes me wonder if someone peed in the water before you got there.  I know it sounds bad but sadly there are people who would do such a thing. One thing, I’m scared to drink it now and I am very sad too!!

  5. I just got the results back from the Hardin County Water Distric Plant #2 and it’s NOT GOOD.  It tested at 25 for Ecolie.  He said it’d be like drinking the local river water.  I did pay for this test and will NOT be drinking the water from this spring.

    I got the bottle for testing from the County people, took the sample directly from the pipe at the spring and drove the sample straight to the testing lab in White Mills. 

    This really saddens me, as it’s the only spring within 50 miles of me.

    Thank you Steve for the heads-up.

  6. Gathered 5 gallons from this spring last weekend, direct from the flowing water from the pipe (yes it had moss growing at the end) 

    We then ordered First Alert Drinking Water Test Kit.Filtered water through Brita Water Pitcher and then ran tests.

    Lead / Pesticide test – negative
    Bacteria Test – POSTIVE !!!  WARNING it is HIGHLY LIKELY potentially harmful bacteria were detected

    DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER as of March 2012.  There is some type of bacteria in the water, and this water needs to be tested professionally.
    We are not going to drink it until that has been done, but this test is enough of a warning to STAY AWAY !

    1. Thank you so much for letting us know.  We cannot afford to get it tested and was told that the locals always get it tested each year. Please if you get it tested, will you please write back in and let us know how it turned out, Sincerely and thankfully, Bettyann

  7. First off, the name of this spring is wrong.  Than the directions are TOTALLY wrong!  I have been drinking this water for over a year and it’s great.  Like an earlier post said, it’s tested once a year by the locals. If you want to find this spring bad enough, you will.  I did.

  8. can someone let me know when the last time it was tested?  I am very interested, I hate city water and the plastic bottled water is not much better, you have to trust what they say about it and they are really in it for the money, after all.  Thank you so much, Sincerely

  9. We just went filled a bunch of containers from this spring.

    The directions are off just a bit.
    I wouldn't say its “just past 79”, its quite a ways from 79.
    If you're coming from the east, definitely take KY-376 to shortcut the 144 loop.
    Its down the road labeled “Bruner Valley Rd” on google maps, I never found a “Bruner Ride”
    The map link above has its location on a road on the north side of 144, the spring is down the road on the left.
    Just like the description says, watch for a gravel road that goes down hill.
    Its not very far past the cemetery.

    The water was very very clear.
    And this area is loaded with life, so that's a good sign.
    Lots of caterpillars, and butterflies which don't seem too afraid of humans at all.

    Aquarium water test strip results:
    Nitrate: ~20ppm
    Nitrite: 0ppm
    Total hardness: ~150ppm
    Chlorine: 0ppm
    Total Alkalinity: ~200ppm
    pH: 7.2

How to Collect Spring Water

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

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

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

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

Filling 2.5 Gallon Alive Waters Jug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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