SPRINGS 21 



Importance of Springs. Springs usually form an ideal source 

 of farm supply. Occurring in great abundance in many of the 

 thinly settled regions and coming from considerable depths within 

 the rock or filtering from sand or gravel, they are almost always 

 free from pollution except where buildings are situated on the 

 hillsides above them or where surface wash is allowed to enter 

 them. 



In the more hilly regions, such as those of New Hampshire and 

 Vermont, especially where the farms lie in the valley, the water 

 from hillside springs can usually be piped with little difficulty to 

 the house and barn, where it flows as a steady stream under the 

 influence of gravity alone. A farm supplied from such a source 

 is fortunate indeed. Hydraulic rams are often successfully used 

 in lifting spring waters to buildings high above their source. 



Safety of Springs. Natural spring water is almost never 

 dangerous to health, as the minerals it contains in solution are 

 generally harmless, although a few waters act as a physic and 

 others may contain sulphur gases in disagreeable amounts. 



Springs from sands, sandstones, clays, shales and slates are 

 seldom polluted, except where contaminating matter penetrates 

 through cracks or fissures, or through the material itself where 

 the covering above the water is very thin. Usually such pollution 

 is likely to occur only where houses, barns, sewers or cesspools are 

 located on higher ground near the spring, or more especially 

 where cities or towns are so located. In limestones, on the 

 contrary, sewage or other polluting matter frequently enters the 

 underground channels through the sinks (Fig. 8) and may contami- 

 nate the underground water for long distances. Similarly in the 

 tubular channels in the till, if material from a cesspool or other 

 source of pollution finds access, the water may retain its contami- 

 nation for a long period and a great distance. 



Tests for Pollution. - - There is no infallible chemical test for 

 the detection of pollution in small amounts. If a chemist is 

 thoroughly familiar with the normal character of water in the im- 

 mediate vicinity he may be able to detect contamination by 



