safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

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matt landon
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Joined: December 3rd, 2013, 8:56 am

safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Hello, thanks for reading. I am trying to find a good drinking spring cause the city water is killing me. I don't want to pay. I also prefer water that others are drinking or that gets tested regularly. Preferably someplace I could drive to easily. Has anyone been to the spring in wilsonville? OK thanks, Thirsty

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retired jerry
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by retired jerry » December 3rd, 2013, 9:19 am

There's a spring on highway 26 halfway between Portland and the coast. I often see people with large number of water containers filling up.

I don't think the water coming out of the tap is killing you :)

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BigBear
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by BigBear » December 3rd, 2013, 10:56 am

So, Matt, where is it that you are from where the water tasted better than our water from Bull Run? I've been to other cities and have not found the water to be any cleaner than that of Portland, and I've seen several blind-taste-tests where Portland's tap water was favored over expensive bottled water.

In terms of "safe" spring water, I guess you haven't heard of giardia (and yes, I probably spelled it wrong). Hmmm, perhaps I'm a bit offended, being a native, but I can't name anywhere you could go that you would find what your looking for, but I can refer you to a book entitled "The Big Thirst" which I found interesting regarding this very topic.

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Grannyhiker
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by Grannyhiker » December 3rd, 2013, 11:26 am

I personally have never been able to drink Portland water; I always used a Britta filter at work to filter out what to me was an "off" taste. On the other hand, I really like the taste of Troutdale's water, which comes from wells.

I don't think anyone will die drinking Portland water, but I don't like the taste of it!

Before trying natural springs, do consider the likelihood of contamination by bacteria or protozoa.

Also, it has been found that most bottled water is actually tap water! I only buy bottled water when I need a new water bottle (usually Smartwater, which has lovely and durable bottles).

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retired jerry
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by retired jerry » December 3rd, 2013, 1:36 pm

Matt said Wilsonville - I think they get water from the Willamette. I wouldn't want to drink that because there are trace amounts of weird chemicals from industy, agriculture, and people.

GH - I would think well water would taste worse than Bull Run - well water gets minerals leached into it like Iron. Maybe they add stuff to Bull Run water for Portland.

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Guy
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by Guy » December 3rd, 2013, 2:10 pm

GH - I would think well water would taste worse than Bull Run - well water gets minerals leached into it like Iron.

Being a surface collected rain water system Bull Run water is very soft (few dissolved minerals)

Well water can be soft but is more likely to be hard with more dissolved minerals present. These minerals can improve or ruin taste depending on what they are & at what concentration. Depending on the dissolved minerals present hard water can be better for your health or worse!

Maybe they add stuff to Bull Run water for Portland.

Chlorine to kill bugs
Ammonia to stop the Chlorine from evaporating.
Sodium hydroxide to cut down on the pipes dissolving & releasing Lead!

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BigBear
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by BigBear » December 3rd, 2013, 2:53 pm

ok, if were talking Willamette River water below the Newberg Pool, that is a glass of a different color. There have been issues with fish having extra appendages. Not sure if its the toxins from Wah Chang that have yet to leech out or the toxins from the farm fields which have settled in the mud, but there has been extensive study of the impact on the marine life downstream.

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retired jerry
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by retired jerry » December 3rd, 2013, 3:02 pm

Yeah, "Newberg Pool", they have no explanation for fish deformities so I wouldn't want to drink it.

I think maybe Tigard, Tualatin, Wilsonville drink it.

I'm just North - Tualatin Valley Water District. They talked about using Newberg Pool water but then stopped. I drink Bull Run and Coast Range water. I think we use some of those Troutdale wells on occasion. Funniest thing is they sent me an apology letter saying that they didn't flouridate water even though they said they did. Fine with me. I don't want Flouride in my water although it's probably harmless and may have some benefit to some people.

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Grannyhiker
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Re: safe drinking springs near portland or vancouver?

Post by Grannyhiker » December 3rd, 2013, 5:06 pm

Actually, Troutdale water is quite soft and has a low mineral content. A couple of times a year we get a rush of rust (iron oxide) but that's when they flush the neighborhood pipes, and the water department lets us know when that will happen.

One of the reasons I can't stand the taste of Portland water is the amount of chlorine in it. It makes me glad I bought the house I'm in instead of a comparable one in Gresham (which uses Portland water).

No way would I want to drink from the Willamette with all those agricultural chemicals in it! Ditto any other river that drains a big agricultural area (Deschutes, John Day).