SMETHPORT — Those roadside springs look so refreshing. The water is icy cold and crystal clear as it emerges from its underground source.
You have seen people filling jugs there. Probably they are getting a supply of good tasting drinking water, to use instead of tap water that tastes of chlorine or sulfur.
Besides, if the water were dangerous, wouldn’t “they” have closed the spring? Wouldn’t “they” have put up a sign saying people should not use the water?
As reasonable as all that seems, the disheartening fact is that most such springs are contaminated, and contain “bugs” that can make us sick.
Most are on private property, even though the outlet may be on the highway right-of-way. “They,” whoever they are (the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, or PennDOT; the township?) have rights-of-way across property, but don’t own the property or control its other uses.
Annin Township resident Jim Gotshall found out the hard way that his favorite roadside spring wasn’t okay.
He and his wife, Cathy, are gardeners. They take loving care of their flowers and other ornamental growing things. But their well water has that odor and taste some describe as “oil country water,” with a strong mineral and gassy odor. It is not appetizing to the Gotshalls. And even their plants seemed to be harmed by it.
But up Two Mile Road there has been a roadside spring for years and years. That road is partly in Annin Township, partly in Liberty Township, and not very far from the Gotshalls. So every week or so Jim would visit the spring and bring home jugs of water for drinking, cooking and watering the plants. Bathroom and laundry needs could still be served by the well.
Then the Gotshalls learned that, as refreshing as it tasted and as clear as it looked, that spring water was, nevertheless, not harmless. He might still use it on plants, but he knew it wasn’t okay for food preparation or drinking. He switched to store-bought water.
Telling a reporter of his experience, Jim suggested that something should be done. He also hoped some agency or other would take on the task or assume of authority for warning the public. There should be signs by those springs, he reasoned.
Jim Clark, of Penn State Extension, sometimes is referred to as the water wizard. And certainly he knows more about aquifers and water tables and water sources and wells and springs than any one individual could be expected to.
If you are watching a WPSU documentary on water quality and water supplies, chances are Clark will be on camera, or doing a voice over while you see maps and charts, and maybe photos of wells and springs. The discussion will cover a large portion of Pennsylvania. Clark’s testing and fact-finding have not been limited to our area.
Still, our area has received close scrutiny by Clark and his team, in several projects aimed at learning more about water quality and supplies.
Those studies have brought forth disheartening information, showing that our rural water sources aren’t what they used to be.
Yes, the Department of Environmental Protection has rules and staff in place, and public or municipal water supplies are tested and scrutinized, filtered, treated and reported on regularly.
But it’s those private water supplies that are at continued risk. Clark has evangelized actively, speaking at public meetings and sharing information online and addressing private organizations. Owners and users of those private wells and springs tested in Clark’s projects have been informed of the results and pointed toward remedial action where contamination was found. Many have taken the recommended measures.
At first those owners may have been surprised to learn that their wells and springs, in use for many years, or even for generations, were no longer pure.
The water from those sources used to be fine. But in recent years, things have changed. Private sanitary systems have not been adequate to keep dangerous microbes from leaching into the soil and reaching wells and springs. Chemicals used in gardening, agriculture, lawn care and even household cleaning can find their way into private water supplies, unless the supplies are protected. Sometimes wells have had to be replaced. Others have been recased.
None of that protects the roadside springs.
Two that are familiar to our area residents are the spring beside U.S. Route 6 between Port Allegany and Coudersport, and the one by Two Mile Road that the Gotshalls used.
A test of the Route 6 spring found the presence of barium, varying amounts of total dissolved solids and the presence of coliform bacteria/e.coli. The Two Mile spring was positive for E. coli as well.
Clark said most of the springs tested have failed at least one drinking water standard. While most have “soft” (low mineral content) water, on the acidic side, bacterial contamination is prevalent. His conclusion: Untreated roadside springs should generally not be used as drinking water sources.
Clark would like to see more research done, with more data collected as to usage, and tests done using additional parameters.
As for signage and liability issues, Clark said these matters need further review.
There had been a project in the works, involving Fox Township in Elk County and some law students, with one goal being putting up informational signs at roadside springs. Those plans fell through. Clark said he has no suggestion for what should be on such signs.
Still, “The general public should be aware that roadside spring water can vary in quality from safe to drink to should not be used as a drinking water source … Landowners can post signs, but I would not recommend that people post signs on other people’s property.”
