Category: New Jersey, View All
Miguel
Spring water flows out of a pipe. Here’s a map.
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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.
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.
This spring is easy to locate and the tap has a steppingstone down into it so it’s perfect for filling up large or small containers of the delicious water. Pure and not a high mineral taste. Will be revisiting. Thank you to whoever published this spring.
I went last week. I like the water! My friend from Montana said it’s a bit neutral / not so mineral-y, but I guess it’s all relative!
For those who are looking to join in on the community efforts to get the spring unsealed, join the Facebook group called Save the spring! If you type in Thompson Park Spring, it will pop up. There are currently 134 members. Something is definitely fishy going on and we can’t allow for this without a fight. Next thing you know, another spring will be closed, and another, and another, and before we know it, there will be no natural sources of water–only a bunch of money hungry execs who are laughing at their growing bank accounts. For those who are wondering what is going on, watch the documentary Blue Gold: World Water Wars. It’s on Amazon Prime Video.
This spring and one by me in PA have been closed due to being over PFAs levels which EPA recently changed. But PFAs is in everything now, the air the rain etc. you can’t really escape it.
The county is obligated to follow the federal guidelines so we can’t get them to change their minds by just saying to open these springs. We need to approach it as a freedom of religion / freedom of choice issue. It’s my choice to decide if I want to deal with PFAs in otherwise fantastic spring water or if I want to drink tap. Drinking spring water is a part of my spiritual practice so we can frame it this way.
No more water in this location, town covered it with steel plate, they don’t want us to drink clean water, they want us to drink poisoned tap water
I’ve been going to this spring for 6 years now and today I went to refill my jugs, when I see that this spring has been sealed shut. I cannot believe they have done this! State said they tested the water and they found PFAs in it that didn’t meet their standards and it couldn’t be treated. But my berkey carbon filter at home filters out pfas !!! We must call Middlesex county office of health services , environmental division at (732)745-8480 and request for it to be open again. Please.
I have filled up here a few times. It is located in a nice park. I see other people filling up here also. Not the best maintained, but still good.
The pin on this site’s map is slightly south from where the spring actually is. When you get to the park there are trail maps that can show you the exact location. There is a parking area.
The spring is now covered by a cemented metal plate that is drilled in place
I have gathered water here several times in the past month, and will continue to do so. It tastes pure and delicious. There is parking very close, so it’s easy to fill my containers and load into the car. The water is flowing from a pipe which you need to step down into a concrete pit to access. There are steel handrails to make it easy and safe.
Has anyone been here recently? How is the water quality? I am local to this area and never knew this was here! Very interested in learning more!
Yes! Ive been going frequently. Water is so cold and tastes amazing. Ive seen so many people come to fill up their jugs, and lots of people that are just filling up their water bottles before and after their hike. Water is so clean and no mineral taste. I asked this one guy there and he said he’s been drinking this water the last 10 years. He doesn’t boil or filter it.
They closed the spring down and put a stone covered in concrete over it and I’m not happy the water was fine I had been drinking it for months
It is closed by the county as of Nov. 2023
This spring is closed.