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Researcher Tested Much-Loved Freshwater From Appalachian Springs and It’s Not As Safe as We Think

Locals reliant on natural springs face the risk of consuming contaminated water yet refuse to avoid the water source.

PUBLISHED 3 DAYS AGO

(L) A freshwater spring in a forest in the mountains. (R) A woman drinking water from a glass. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | (L) Anton Atanasov, (R) Cottonbro studio)

Safe drinking water is an essential resource that largely impacts quality of life. The bare necessity, although abundant, may not be fit for consumption everywhere. Similarly, the natural springs in Southwest Virginia are the most trusted source of drinking water for the local people in the region. They rely on it over the filtered water running from their taps since it seems like a more natural source flowing down all the way from the mountains. However, water quality expert Leigh-Anne Krometis is afraid the spring water may be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, according to a Radio IQ report.

Water springs in the middle of a forest. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Diego Madrigal)

Krometis, who is a bio-engineering professor at Virginia Tech, said, “People have been drinking from these springs for a long time.” While getting safe drinking water to most homes in the mountains of southwestern Virginia can be difficult due to its vertical landscapes and sparse population, the researcher confirmed that people anyhow prefer using water from the Appalachia springs. Besides, most homes cannot afford to set up a sewer system in their homes due to costs ranging as high as $50,000.

Garbage on body of water. (Representative Image of Source: Pexels | Yogendra Singh)

As a result, the locals have made peace with sourcing water from the Appalachia springs for decades, and in some cases, even trust it over water from wells. Krometis explained water from wells appears to be discolored due to high iron or manganese concentrations. Whereas in public systems, drinking water is disinfected with chlorine which imparts a strange taste to it. “So, in all these cases, people say, you know, the water coming out of my tap at home, isn't palatable. This (spring) seems natural and it's pretty, and it's coming out of a pretty place in the mountain,” Krometis explained. She is also one of the foremost water quality and availability experts in the region of Appalachia.

Man drinking clean water from a bottle. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Mauricio Mascaro)

Unfortunately, studies have found that 80% of springs that have been surveyed have water contaminated with harmful bacteria. For instance, the presence of E.coli was a regular occurrence in these water bodies. Even though one cannot taste or see the bacteria, its mere presence in routinely consumed water indicates unhealthy sources. “E-coli is what we call an indicator organism. It occurs naturally in the gut of every warm-blooded, mammal and bird. So, if you find e-coli it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the kind of e-coli that's going to make you sick,” Krometis said. However, the coliform bacteria are generally found in the intestines of humans and its existence in water, therefore, suggests that "there's poop in the water."

A man picking up garbage from a lake. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Thirdman)

Krometis understood the cultural significance of these natural springs regardless of the health risks they may possess. Even local health departments have officially deemed it unfit for human consumption but that barely deviated the locals from using the spring water. “People have been telling me they value these springs. That means that they should be there for them to use. We just have to figure out a way to lower the risk,” Krometis concluded. More so, there are no regular testing programs to assess the quality of these water springs. The researcher proposed that with sufficient investment and strong will, they can protect the Appalachian springs and develop them into safe water sources.