84 Protec ting Communit y Water
Protect your Spring
Springs are where groundwater naturally comes to the surface. Because spring
water is filtered through rock and soil and moves quickly, it can be considered
safe unless it is contaminated at the surface. To know if a spring is safe, find
its source (where it comes out of the ground) and ask these questions:
• Is it the true source, or is there a stream or other surface water that goes
underground above the spring? If so, what appears to be a spring may in
fact be surface water that flows a short distance underground. In this case
it will likely be contaminated, or may flow only during the rainy season.
• Are there large openings in the rock above the spring? If so, check the
water in the spring after a heavy rain. If it appears very cloudy or
muddy, contamination from surface runoff is likely.
• Is there a possibility of contamination near or just above the source of
the spring? This could include pastures for livestock, pit toilets, septic
tanks, use of pesticides and fertilizers, or other human activity.
• Is the soil very loose or sandy within 15 m of the spring? This could allow
contaminated surface runoff to enter the groundwater.
Protect the area around the spring
Protecting a spring is cheaper than digging a well or borehole. Once a spring
is protected it is relatively easy to run pipes from the spring closer to the
community. To protect the area around a spring, fence the area all around it
and dig a drainage ditch to carry away surface runoff and waste. This will
also keep animals out.
Plant native trees near the spring to protect it even more. Trees will prevent
erosion, and make it a more pleasant place to collect water.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012