Natural Spring Water?

Rawbina

Hey guys
I came on here specifically to look for natural springs or wells in cork city and county and seen the many threads with water problems already so we could all benefit from gathering our water from natural springs rather than depending on polluted tap water. Its the ultimate thing to do for health seeing as our bodies are mostly made up from water.
Anyone know where there's any?
Thanks xx

dh0661

The "wheel pump" in Clonakilty is supplied by a spring AFAIK.

Victor

Of course, many wells are polluted also.

Rawbina

Thanx I'll check it out the one in Clonakilty.

Tap water is diluted with chlorine and flouride in order to clean it because it is recycled toilet water in essence.

Where as a natural spring water is coming straight up from the earth, usually in the country where theres less or no pollution.

LilMrsDahamsta

Rawbina wrote: »

Tap water is diluted with chlorine and flouride in order to clean it because it is recycled toilet water in essence.

Fluoride is added in tiny quantities (1 part per million) to the tap water to help protect from dental decay; it has no role in cleaning the water. In fact, people who consume well water at home, particularly children, are often put on a course of fluoride tablets or fluoride mouth rinse to make up for the fluoride they miss out on from their water supply.

In Cork, as far as I know, we do not recycle water in the way you are suggesting. The tap water is taken directly from the upper parts of the waterways, is purified (chlorine is used to kill potentially harmful bacteria as part of this process) and distributed; after use, it is filtered to remove physical debris and liquid pollutants before being returned to the lower river estuary.

Again, as far as I know, it's only in larger cities such as London where there is severe pressure on the available water supply that the water is re-used over and over again before finally being returned to the estuary. There, they use a much more extensive filtration process to clean the water before it is recycled to make sure it is safe to use.

I hope this reassures you that our tap water is actually very pure in comparison to water elsewhere!

Max001

LilMrsDahamsta wrote: »

Fluoride is added in tiny quantities (1 part per million) to the tap water to help protect from dental decay; it has no role in cleaning the water. In fact, people who consume well water at home, particularly children, are often put on a course of fluoride tablets or fluoride mouth rinse to make up for the fluoride they miss out on from their water supply.

In Cork, as far as I know, we do not recycle water in the way you are suggesting. The tap water is taken directly from the upper parts of the waterways, is purified (chlorine is used to kill potentially harmful bacteria as part of this process) and distributed; after use, it is filtered to remove physical debris and liquid pollutants before being returned to the lower river estuary.

Again, as far as I know, it's only in larger cities such as London where there is severe pressure on the available water supply that the water is re-used over and over again before finally being returned to the estuary. There, they use a much more extensive filtration process to clean the water before it is recycled to make sure it is safe to use.

I hope this reassures you that our tap water is actually very pure in comparison to water elsewhere!

Thanks for inserting some sense into this thread. OP, I have a suggestion about what you can insert, where. However, as there may be ladies and/or ladyboys present, I'll refrain

Victor

Rawbina wrote: »

Tap water is diluted with chlorine and flouride in order to clean it because it is recycled toilet water in essence.

Wrong. We don't (directly) use reclaimed water in Ireland, although the ESB use in in Poolbeg as cooling water.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaimed_water

Where as a natural spring water is coming straight up from the earth, usually in the country where theres less or no pollution.

You never been in a farmers yard then after the cattle have been through. About 98% of councilk water meets standards. Only about 80% of group water schemes reach standards. What might be safe for a local person (who is used ot hte local bugs itn eh water), may not be safe for a visitor.

Rawbina

Yes chlorine kills the bacteria in the tap water but it also kills our own bacteria when we drink it.

The addition of flouride to our water supply has been linked to, among other things: inhibition of enzyme systems, damage of the immune system, lowering of IQ, cancer, calcification of soft tissues, arthritis and, of course, dental fluorosis in children.

Tap water travels thru pipes for long distances before it gets to the sink gathering god knows what on the way. Spring water or well water has to be better than this.


,

Papa_Lazarou

Rawbina wrote: »

Yes chlorine kills the bacteria in the tap water but it also kills our own bacteria when we drink it.

The addition of flouride to our water supply has been linked to, among other things: inhibition of enzyme systems, damage of the immune system, lowering of IQ, cancer, calcification of soft tissues, arthritis and, of course, dental fluorosis in children.

Tap water travels thru pipes for long distances before it gets to the sink gathering god knows what on the way. Spring water or well water has to be better than this.


,

No offence but id say you are being a bit OTT there. You say all that might happen with tap water but you dont know how much fertiliser/pesticides/sewage/general polution has entered those natural springs by the time you drink the water from it.

Do you realy think they would keep putting fluoride in the water if it was actually doing that to people. Its the same paranoia that has stopped people from giving their kids the MMR vaccine.

Rawbina

Paranoia is not my guiding force. Education and awareness are, I have done a lot research.

And yeah vaccines are a whole other story, ppl only started using them about 90 years ago, what did we do before then?

I just want people to be healthier and water is good place to start.

here.from.day.1

Why not buy some bottled water from the shops if it bothers you that much?

oeb

Rawbina wrote: »

And yeah vaccines are a whole other story, ppl only started using them about 90 years ago, what did we do before then?

Died.

lostinsuperfunk

You can leave the tap water stand for a few hours and the chlorine will evaporate out. At least you know that tap water undergoes regular tests. Some of the groundwater in this country is contaminated with faecal coliforms.
http://www.epa.ie/environment/water/ground/

And yeah vaccines are a whole other story, ppl only started using them about 90 years ago, what did we do before then?

Many of them lived short, miserable lives.

Anyway, I think there is a "holy well" on the Cork-Kanturk road, just near the entrance to Muskerry Golf Course, on the right if you are driving from Cork.

Rawbina

Bottled water is dead water with plastic leached into it, I drank it for years not any more. The water you drink literally becomes your blood in minutes so isn't it best to have alive cold clean fresh natural water filtered by the earth?

Papa_Lazarou

Rawbina wrote: »

Bottled water is dead water with plastic leached into it, I drank it for years not any more. The water you drink literally becomes your blood in minutes so isn't it best to have alive cold clean fresh natural water filtered by the earth?

Ehhhh....

You might find the water wasn't alive in the first place . Just cause the water is treated doesn't mean it loses all its minerals but for one thing you know its not contaminated with any crap(well for the most part anyway)

You drink out of a spring nowadays and God only knows what it contains. It might have been ok to drink it straight back in the aul days but wouldn't take the chance nowadays.

Rawbina

Yip natural water straight from the earth is very much alive, same as the earth itself is alive.. but alot of her inhabitants sure aint:p

disco biscuit

I was on a nature walk one day near the county hall and we were shown a big spring which the botanist said was drinkable.There are also a few holy wells near the city which I presume are drinkable.

Rawbina

Thank you. Someone was telling me about that one yesterday well I think it was that one, is it on the Lee road?

disco biscuit

Its off the lee road.You turn left off the lee road below the county hall and follow a path beside the Curaheen river and I think you follow the river to its source.I can't remember exactly.I often thought about having a look at it again.If you want I could meet you and have al ook at it.You cannot bring a car along the path.

Rawbina

Yip sounds good, when can you go?

omelette

I was quite excited to find this thread, thinking it would develop along the lines of - http://www.findaspring.com/ - wishful thinking...

Concerning fluoridation, doesn't it bother anyone that for most of Europe (98% of the population) fluoridation of public water supplies is banned? Or despite Ireland having mandatory fluoridation for over 60 years, on average, our dental health-care is no better than the rest of Europe (fifth, if memory serves) - this completely blows the main supposed benefits of fluoride myth! Or the fact that the 23-of-23 independent studies undertaken show a definite decrease in IQ? Or the fact that there is enough fluoride in a tube of toothpaste to kill a child? (read the mandatory warnings on the back!)

There is a very informative interview by 2 PHD-level individuals at the below link discussing all of this. One is actually a 'plastic-paddy' professor, the other an american dentist who was initially incensed that anyone would dare question a practice he had been recommending to his patients for decades, only to come-about 180 degrees when he studied the evidence, and has been on an anti-fluoride crusade ever since. Scroll down to the fluoride-show and download the mp3's...

http://www.eruptingmind.com/free-coast-to-coast-am-radio-shows/

btw, I buy all my water, hence my interest in locating natural springs...

Rawbina

Hi Omlette:)

And I kno for certain that there is chlorine in all the drinking water mostly in large amounts, I spoke to agirl who works at the water plant she said that in places around cork where there is no other treatment put into the water they put in tonnes of chlorine which kills everything including our good bacteria if we drink it.

Its cool that you kno about findaspring.com, I put my local spring on it, its called St Johns Well in Carrigaline, the water is good, it comes out v cold which is ideal according to daniel vitalis of findaspring.com.

I met a friend from this thread who showed me another source in bishopstown which I use sometimes.

Let me kno if you want me to show you either of them

omelette

Hi. Yeah, chlorine is another pain, though given that a lot of water is recycled, one could argue that there is a valid reason for its use. Fluoride-use on the other-hand is indefensible. I was actually shown a modern medical dictionary recently which is almost as scathing about fluoride - this really surprised me! I suppose it's hopeful to see that the info is slowly becoming known...

Thanks for the offer but I'm afraid Bishopstown is somewhat off the beaten path for me - I was looking for somewhere closer to Longford!

PS - these springs seems to be well-kept secrets - I was living in Mayo for a few years, paying for water, only to be recently shown (after moving!) by an uncle there where he always gets his water. In his defence, I hadn't enquired beforehand...

PPS - I have just noticed the thread heading referencing Cork - I didn't realise this was area-specific! Sorry...

Rawbina

Oh your in mayo or did you say longford? Its funny, my friend 'discobuscuit' that I met from this thread is from mayo too and he was saying today that there are a good few springs up there in mayo.

Are you into other work by daniel vitalis or raw food perhaps? BTW the erupting-minds link is very cool, did you put it together?

lostinsuperfunk

Almost none of the drinking water in this country is recycled waste water (if that's what you mean). In Cork City, supplies are either from Inniscarra, which is upstream of most of the population centres in the Lee catchment, or else from the Lee Road, which is still upstream of the city. I'd very surprised if drinking water in Mayo was recycled.

If you're worried about chlorine in the tap water, leave it stand for a few hours before drinking it.

I'm not keen on water fluoridation but there doesn't seem to be any indication of adverse health effects. All things considered, I'd prefer if it wasn't done.
It probably saves a lot of money by letting the government skimp on public dental health care, which is one bad result.

omelette

Rawbina wrote: »

Oh your in mayo or did you say longford? Its funny, my friend 'discobuscuit' that I met from this thread is from mayo too and he was saying today that there are a good few springs up there in mayo.

Are you into other work by daniel vitalis or raw food perhaps? BTW the erupting-minds link is very cool, did you put it together?

I'm in Longford, was in Mayo. The one I was shown in Mayo - in Lahardawn - is none too obvious. No signs or the like, I had to be led right to it. So, there seems to be no 'advertising'...

As for the site, God no, just something I googled. But you're right, there's some really good info there. Not really into 'health-food' either, though I am a fish-eating vegetarian!

omelette

lostinsuperfunk wrote: »

Almost none of the drinking water in this country is recycled waste water (if that's what you mean). In Cork City, supplies are either from Inniscarra, which is upstream of most of the population centres in the Lee catchment, or else from the Lee Road, which is still upstream of the city. I'd very surprised if drinking water in Mayo was recycled.

If you're worried about chlorine in the tap water, leave it stand for a few hours before drinking it.

I'm not keen on water fluoridation but there doesn't seem to be any indication of adverse health effects. All things considered, I'd prefer if it wasn't done.
It probably saves a lot of money by letting the government skimp on public dental health care, which is one bad result.

Not sure what I was implying - though not that most is recycled from raw sewage! But I can understand the need for chlorine, many areas source their supply from stagnant lakes surrounded by bogs... As for fluoride, I urge you to listen to the interview I linked to - these are not your average-joes that are talking and it on the back of decades of research. And if fluoridated water is not good (read, safe) enough for the rest of Europe, why should Ireland settle for it - other than the obvious brown-tonguing to the almighty US of A this country seems to excel at...

drspock

I totally understand someone wanting to drink from a well. However, having done much hydrological monitoring and research, you would want to be very careful, as nitrate and other nitrogenous compounds obviously come in from farms. Sadly, despite slow change, these and some other fierce nasty things get into spring reservoirs and groundwaters, especially if some farmer has a badly managed silage dump or slurry pit in the catchment of your spring. So have a look around before you drink it up.

I totally agree with you Rawbina about the water fluoridation. You have done your research. Its sheer madness that the stupid government is still fluoridating the public water, no doubt we will be years dealing with the pathological fallout. But given their other backwards counterproductive nonsense I cant imagine they'll stop soon. The EU have mandated an end to this nonsense years ago, apparently we dont listen too well.

In many ways its kind of frightening that water is so essential and integritive to every aspect of our wellbeing, yet we can't get a decent drink. Bloody bottled water is a sucker for bisphenol a (not good for its ability to stimulate breast cancer etc). Where do we turn? Where did you say that well was again?????

Rawbina

Hey Dr
Its in Carrigaline, it is best reached coming from the back Douglas road route to Carrig, its sign posted on the right before you reach the houses.

The water is always freezing cold (even on hot days) when I get it which indicates it is safe- nature regulates the temperature to cold so no bacteria can exist in it. Another safety indication, is that it is sheltered from other outside influences with the stone hut. I was there one morning getting water and there were a bunch of archiologists there, the guide/teacher was telling the rest of them that it was the 1st wells to be used in Cork for bottled water over a hundred years ago.

Thanks for your imput, you too are well informed.

BTW, I registered it on www.findaspring.com

Gunth

Hi Rawbina,

I would completely disagree that if water is cold that it is safe to drink especially from a source that has not been checked for impurities and also taking water from a source that is not secure and protected from interference. Have you analysed a sample to determine the chemical and microbiological composition?

drspock

HAhaha I certainly am too well informed. But I worry about such things as it is my job, but rarely does reality conform to our expectations these days. Freezing does inhibit bacterial growth, and the lattice structure of ice does kill many bacterial species, however, freezing doesn't alway kill bacteria, a notable example being the feared Salmonella. Boil it up! Big time!!!

As for stone walls, groundwater wells in Ireland aren't too bad, but the thing about a well is that depending on the topography (ahem pushing my glasses onto the bridge of my nose), of the surrounding catchment, contaminants of any kind can enter the water body from great distance or depth. Therefore, stone walls won't really do much that way. The beautiful thing about groundwater, and water of all sorts, is it holds up to that new age ideal of interconnectedness, but that isn't a good thing in terms of how dirty our planet really is.

Interesting what was being said about recycled water. I reckon if we really did that doctors would be very busy indeed. Cork is notorious for pollution. The levels of PCBs in Cork harbour are so high, that Otters were so damaged and disorientated they have walked (hilariously, forgive my bad humour), into a pub (the bartender probably gave it one on the house!). People wouldn't believe the reality of our natural systems in Ireland, (or our bodies or that matter) especially with the Government cutting funding to essential natural management (DOPES!!!!). Same in England, they nearly cut down a load of Forest recently, if it wasn't for people objecting. Doesn't say much for things outside the public light.

But anyway thanks for the info Rawbina, that well sounds great, hopefully it really is the real deal. Don't let me put you off, just the pessimist when it comes to things vulnerable to human error. :rolleyes:

drspock

Gunth wrote: »

Hi Rawbina,

I would completely disagree that if water is cold that it is safe to drink especially from a source that has not been checked for impurities and also taking water from a source that is not secure and protected from interference. Have you analysed a sample to determine the chemical and microbiological composition?

Definately agree with Gunth there. Some of Southern groundwaters have high Nitrate and sometimes faecal colliforms, depending on the intensity/ quality of Agricultural practice in the area. Usually a well like that would have been analysed, if you fish about you'd be surprised what you'd find. GSI.ie or EPA.ie often have decent data....Worth being careful with your health.....:D

Rawbina

Rawbina wrote: »

Paranoia is not my guiding force. Education and awareness are, I have done a lot research.

Rawbina wrote: »

The water is always freezing cold (even on hot days) when I get it which indicates it is safe- nature regulates the temperature to cold so no bacteria can exist in it.

Are you for real?

Basically you reckon tap water in Cork is recycled toilet water and you are instead going to drink from wells from recommendations on an internet forum from folks whose background in such matters is not known to you.

chuckle chuckle

btw, I worked in water treatment for a while and from what you have posted in this thread it is evident that you know very close to sfa about drinking water.

mawk

Finding a sandwich in a field is not a good reason to eat it.. Water is not much more sensible.
I personally love wild foods especially shellfish, but I don't believe its safer medically to collect them.
similarly I have drank from quite a few wells and streams, but find it ridiculous to assume that "nature is healthier". Nature was not built to keep humans healthy. Tap water is clean and safe in ireland, and anyone who believes otherwise simply has no idea of or respect for the regulations enforced to keep it that way.
bottled water on the other hand has to meet no such set of safety standards, which is only acceptable because bottled water IS tap water. All bottled water is bought from existing domestic supplies.

drspock

mawk wrote: »

Finding a sandwich in a field is not a good reason to eat it.. Water is not much more sensible.
I personally love wild foods especially shellfish, but I don't believe its safer medically to collect them.
similarly I have drank from quite a few wells and streams, but find it ridiculous to assume that "nature is healthier". Nature was not built to keep humans healthy. Tap water is clean and safe in ireland, and anyone who believes otherwise simply has no idea of or respect for the regulations enforced to keep it that way.
bottled water on the other hand has to meet no such set of safety standards, which is only acceptable because bottled water IS tap water. All bottled water is bought from existing domestic supplies.

In fairness, when our water supply is contaminated intentionally, by monkeys, with a toxic chemical (fluoride) and its industrial byproducts (i.e. arsenic) then you can't blame people for seeking alternatives. The regulations you speak of were devised based on (now proven) false scientific assumptions about human health. Strangely the practice of toxifying public water continues. For good information check out a decent Irish medical perspective

http://www.ideaireland.org/fluoridation.htm

We are, for the time being, very lucky to live in a country where small subset of our surface and groundwaters haven't being completely ruined. The air, soil, water, and biological tissues are riddled with persistent organic pollutants. To add insult to human injury, we add stupid stuff like fluoride to water and put epoxide steroidal modifiers in plastic bottles. In a few years water access, and not water quality will be the issue. The quality will be gone.....

Funsterdelux

Would you see Ray Mears drinking straight from a stream or well!

I grew up in the countryside, we had our own well and I know of many "natural springs/wells" where you could drink. However also from being from the countryside I know that you can't trust where the water is coming from. Our own well got contaminated a couple of times due to excess rainfall! Luckily we got our water tested a few times and it was relatively quite good.

Regarding springs/wells, todays farming practices are far more different and intensive than they were 40 years ago, let alone 90 years ago. Agricultural pollution accounts for most of the nitrates in our waters.
I'd boil the water unless you get it tested and its potable.