Chance are, no matter where you live, you can identify at least one natural underground spring that contains natural water.
Springs are typically found in rock. Some springs are formed in limestone or dolomite. While often forming and flowing underground, springs usually rise to the earth’s surface layer, and this is typically how they are discovered. Spring water at its best is natural water free of pollutants and contaminants.
Underground springs often feed into rivers and lakes. Scientists have even found them in the oceans as far down as 2.5 kilometers.
Some springs are small. Others feed millions of gallons of water daily. There are many factors that influence how much water is found in a spring. The size of the cavern, for instance, can mean the difference between a small spring or a large spring. Caves are formed from water pushing its way through the substance of the rock, limestone, and other natural substances of the earth.
Other factors that can determine the size of a spring include:
- Water pressure
- Size of the basin
- How much rainfall that part of the world gets
Is Spring Water Safe To Drink?
Spring water is not always safe to drink. Natural purifiers appear in many springs, but how many minerals are in a particular spring depends on how long the water must flow through the rock and other natural substances, whether or not the water can dissolve the natural minerals it does collect, and other factors. Even seawater mixing with freshwater can affect whether a spring is fit for drinking.
Some springs are hot and some are cold. Hot springs are often called thermal springs. Hot spring water occurs because the water descends deep into underground rock, which heats the water. Then, when it rises to the surface it rises faster than it descended and doesn’t have time to cool.
Before spring water can be consumed, it must be tested. If the tests are positive and the spring water is determined to be safe for drinking, it often has natural healing properties. Many towns grew their populations because people discovered a natural spring with healing properties. They are called spa towns. What causes the healing properties in such springs are the minerals that are natural to that area’s geology.
When you see bottled water that says it was taken from a spring, you should ask where the spring is located and how it was tested. Some spring water is safe to drink.
