Finding Clean Water Sources

Spring is in the air, and after a long, cold winter, there’s nothing like seeing the snow melting away. The warmth of the sun and rising temperatures are sure signs of better days to come. The birds are singing and all is right with the world, at least for the moment.

- Mark Kaz

This time of year is our rainy season, and soon lakes, rivers and streams will be filled to the brim with water from rain and runoff from melting snow. These waterways could become primary sources for water and hydration during a crisis.

Winter is hard on the animals of the forest. Only the strong ones know how to survive the cold, and those that don’t make it through are revealed when the snow is gone. The wrath of winter leaves behind dead and decomposing animals that can cause serious problems. Bodily fluids from the decaying animals are carried to lakes, rivers and streams through flooding and runoff. Viruses and bacteria contaminate the waterways and make them unsafe for drinking without proper treatment.

Bacteria are widely detectable, in low concentrations, in all natural water systems. When rivers, lakes, streams and ponds overflow their banks, water may spill into floodplains. These floodplains are usually shallow areas where excess water becomes stagnant. The warmth from the sun warms the floodplains and the stagnant water becomes tepid. These tepid floodplains then become incubators for bacterial and parasitic growth. When spring rains return, the bacteria and parasites in the floodplains may permeate the main waterways.

Waterfalls are not clean, healthy water