Well if it smells funny it could be iron or some sulfur. Anyway if it smells then it probably is not that great to drink. I bet it has a high amount of TDS. I go to Rock Springs in Wisconsin.
Found it today. Its an artesian wellm and it's located right near the police shooting range off of Lemont Road. There is a path that goes right past the shooting range parking lot. After you pass the lot, look for a path to the left; you will hear the spring. If you hit the “no swimming” sign, youve gone too far.
Hello all,
I am from the Rockford area, and I have been searching for a pure water supply. After skimming through what is available in Illinois, I’ve found Artesian Well at Paradise Cove in Winslow, IL. I’ve read multiple reviews and watched some videos with positive responses. The water is tested 2x a month, and there is a spout to easily access water. Just thought I’d share this with you all.
Now, I’m sure this is much further for most who are looking for pure water near the city, but I can rest assure you it’s worth it, and a great day adventure to get a month long supply of water. If anyone is interested in a water delivery service to your area, near the city or suburbs, I can deliver in glass jugs. If you are interested contact True Hippie at (608)313-4693. I also offer natural cleaning products and services. Good luck on your search, and stay hydrated! Peace & Love – Anna
I’m on the late show, however I can witness all of the credits that are due. I learned about findingsprings.com while reading an interesting article of the Northwest Quarterly (Holiday/Winter 2018 edition – page 29) about PARADISE COVE PARK in Winslow, IL. I live a few counties east of there! Thanks!
After reading this , I wouldn’t go hiking in that area let along drink water from a spring there . It was buried 60 years ago and only God knows how many hundreds of years it will take for the area to become safe again .
The amazing thing is the stupid bastard conducted the first Nuclear reactor test right in the Middle of the densely populated Chicago , without any cooling or protection . Who knows how many people got cancers after that experiment and blamed it on their bad fortune , never knowing the truth that they were victums of “progress ”
Im going this weekend to look for this spring, I'll let you know what I find. If I dont find it, would you be interested in carpooling to WI for water?
I wouldnt drink water from this area. I know for sure there were the US first two Nuclear reactors buried In an area next to Red Gate woods along archer avenue. I believe this was possibly what was known as the first argone. This area is not to far from water fall Glen area. There have been ground water tests and radio active contaminants were found in the ground water even as far south of Joliet. About 12 years ago they fenced of an area in these woods and did some sort of clean up. There was even a spot called plot M which contained Contaminated waste. If you hike through these woods they have stone markers. As far as water fall glen The actual water fall where the water is, is contaminated with treated sewer water from Argone labs facility. I was told this by a forest ranger when I asked about small signs that were posted near the falls on trees.
I would be careful and do some due diligence before consuming water from this spring.
About the smell some of that area in lemont / lockport have notoriously smelly well water with a high Iron content.
Mike, I appreciate you posting the information you came to know about. I wish it wasn’t so sad, but I also know what corporations get by with and how little they care about nature–land, water, air, animals, people. (As if our so called government ever gave a damn about it’s people.) My God, it is heartbreaking. I’m not too far from this site and felt so hopeful of something being nearby. But I’d rather know the truth. So, again, thankyou for the information you posted. I suppose, in retrospect, that anything near a large city like Chicago would be tainted.
But then, you never know. I heard there were over 7,000 toxic waste dumps in the most pristine areas of Alaska….oh, my heart hurts to find that out. What people do for money! It won’t be long before everything comes caving in, in my vision. There’s only so much abuse Nature will tolerate before the consequences are felt by all. I trust the info from the forest ranger, in fact, I’m sure he has a lot more.
Thankyou, kindly, Mike.
remember though that 50+ years ago they didnt have the same concern or realizations about nature and were learning about the nuclear stuff!!
sad but what can we do accept not let it happen anymore! A friend of mind lived near Argonne in Burr Ridge and was proactive in helping spur a group that got them to clean up a lot in the WFGlen preserve!
-rich
To you all I am aware of the contamination first hand and the lack of honesty by Argonne and Department of Energy. I would not drink the water if I was dieng in a dessert, I’d rather drink my own pee or Cyonide, Argonne claims for the water to be safe, and provide their own evaluations, Science is not sophisticated enough to tell you what the future dangers could be and if they can be detected at this time, and if they knew they would not tell you, at least not right away, Pilcher park used to have a well I believe it dried out, I used to go there as a kid with my dad and bring gallons for the whole family for the whole week in the 70’s
Was just at the well today after visiting this website. I find it better to park in downtown Lemont and walk the tracks all the way to the well, instead of parking on Lemont RD (because its illegal). The well is flowing really good. The water IN the well didnt smell and was super clear. But some water around the well have a rainbow film around it, a sign of oil or something else you wouldnt want to drink. Still a great hike though, but I wouldnt drink it.
Has anyone actually had this water tested? I’ve been drinking bottled water from the grocery store but I’m much prefer some clean spring water- but I would definitely want to be sure of its safety first. Can anyone verify its purity?
Any updates on this spring? Does anybody know if it is still running? What other springs do you all go to? I’ve never gotten water from a spring before but I would like to start doing so. Thanks.
“”DISTRICT ALERT: The District will treat a section of Waterfall Glen with aquatic-approved herbicide using targeted ATV and helicopter application the week of Aug. 19 if weather conditions are favorable. For more information on plans for aerial treatment of invasive vegetation at Waterfall Glen, click here.””
…;please look into this further!
No, i was thinking i should do some research to see if its cheap to get the water tested. I don't have a TDS meter, so i dont have any idea. I am still looking for a place to get water nearby. The closest source that i know of, other than this one is 2 hours away.
no you will not be able to walk there with a 5 gallon jug. but what i did, is ride my bike, with my kids bike trailer attached and the 5 gallon jug in the back…but you can read my other posts to see why i am unsure about drinking this water
so i see that there is a way to drive there if you go down the path the police must use to access the shooting range. im not sure if its a good idea but then again, i dont care. im driving as close as i can get with my 5 gallon
hi…someone tell me ..what is the difference betw bottle water and spring water…and talking about spring water,, it is safe or do I have to make something to make it safe?
I grew up in the area and currently live in Homer Glen. We have well water which contains much rust and tastes terrible. I currently purchase 5-gallon bottles for drinking/cooking. As a child I remember getting water from a spring along Bluff Road in Lemont. But the pipe has been removed years ago. I am sure as people moved into the area, it became a traffic concern. I am interested to learn more about the Waterfall Glen well. Is it a far walk? Would it be feasible to carry 5-gallon water bottles to fill? From the picture it looks as if I may need a hose, its this a correct assumption?
Can someone please tell me if this is a spring or if it is an artisan well? I usually travel to Wisconsin for my spring water, however, I literally live in an apartment complex right next to Waterfall Glen. I'm just looking for the scoop on this one… 🙂 Also, where is this spring/well located specifically? I'm familiar with the main trail.
to the doubters below writing about not drinking from the well and the dangers, etc…..I don’t believe any of it. I grew up in Lemont and as a kid hiked and fished back there several times, always filling a canteen or bottle with water from the well and aside from my twigs glowing in the dark, I find myself in perfect health (kidding)….seriously, I drank from that well dozens of times when I was a teenager hiking back there….actually googled it and found this as we were there today (I am 50 years old now)…..we filled a couple of water bottles and hiked back and I’m still here to write about it…that water can’t be any more harmful than the stuff pumped through your home faucet I say…
You are probably right about the faucet water. However I do know for a fact that the US government fenced off a large area along archer and had a team of people up there cleaning up leaking stuff. I talked to one of the guards thru the fence the years they were doing it. I have also read reports about leakage in the ground water in local papers in the past. Hickory Hills used to mix well water and city water and regarding discussions about what was buried along archer they stopped doing it. The reports also showed radio active materials found in the ground water as far south as Joliet that came from the site along archer next to red gate woods.
It would be good if someone can have this well tested or find out if it has ever been tested. If I was thirsty enough I would drink it but Im not so I wont.
Also radioactivity or particles are not immediately dangerous and what it may do to one may not happen to the other. strength of contamination is also a factor.
Do you happen to have a good way to get back there? The easiest looks like to hike down the road the PD uses to get to the range but was wondering if there was a better way.
I agree with Ryan J. I live in the area as well and there has always been a shroud of mystery as to some of the goings on and testing that has been done at Argonne National Labs…never forget the space suited team that showed up at a home in Lemont a few years back as an employee was caught bringing some work home with him. Not sure what happened to the employee…however, there have been various stories about the testing over the years, I would be afraid it would be contaminated as well. Do people go in and actually take water from this spring?
Mrjaw,
Thankyou for that warning! Argonne employees…the space suited team…in Lemont!! It reminds me of the movie “Silkwood”. My God, would it happen so close to home! Oh, Yikes!
Thanks for the excellent directions HFG. It’s an interesting area with a huge Hindu temple nearby and those old limestone structures. I am worried about people drinking this water because the Argonne Laboratory that sits in the middle of this land! I found a couple of old articles mentioning groundwater contamination in this exact area. Google “waterfall glen” “cleaning fluids” This place is 15 minutes away from where I live (Woodridge, IL) so I really wanted it to work but I don’t think I’ll be drinking any water from this spring. I like the idea of carpooling to Wisconsin or the spring near Peoria. I would be up for this but probably not until mid March 2011.
I’m in Woodridge, too. A while back they expanded Woodridge to include land south of I-55 in what used to be Lemont. I’m aware of the temple you mentioned. The thought of that water being tainted is just heartbreaking. The picture up above looks sooo nice. How sad that anyone would pollute such a precious resource. I wonder now about the other ones in Illinois posted on the main map. I found Mike’s comment at the bottom from one month ago to be very significant, and sad. You may be interested in reading what he has to say. And now with the fallout from Japan the USA’s prior nuclear testing maps have surfaced on youtube. What a mess. Thankyou for your information about the cleaning fluids. I will read all I can, thankyou so much!
This artesian spring is not marked on any of the forest preserve maps you get from DuPage county. To find it orient yourself facing south on Lemont Rd, at Bluff Rd, on the east side of Lemont Rd you see a trailer storage lot, you also see two sets of high tensions wire towers. A vehicle path goes under the high tension tower, there is a chain that blocks the path, just before you reach the chain there is a spot you can park your car (when facing East it is to the left of the vehicle path). You will have to walk roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of a mile East (you will pass under 6 (six) high tension towers, and will have passed the Lemont Police dept shooting range). About halfway before you reach the next (#7 from Lemont Rd) high tension tower you will find a grass covered path on the left which seems to double back a bit towards the West, follow it a few hundred feet. On your right you should be able to see a pond through the trees, as you get closer to the well, you should be able to hear the well before you reach it. The path is rough, make sure you have some good shoes or boots on, if you have a folding hand truck bring it along, you will be glad you did.
very good description!. I was just there the other day. stumbled upon it by accident looking to fish in the quarry/ponds? there. Its more overgrown right now than the picture appears to be and since the spring made it swampy flowing towards the pond, the mosquitoes were really heavy at the spring.
back by the lake/pond the mosquitoes were a little less intense.! fishing wasnt any good there to be worth the walk in. I took the train tracks there after parking south of the Des Plaines river. parking is limited! and the trains come almost hourly in the afternoon.
Discovering the unknown spring was a nice suprise! but nothing glamorous. and I wondered if the water is pure for drinking with the Argonne plant being uphill to the north. There was known to be some contamination spots up in the park at one time.
very good description!. I was just there the other day. stumbled upon it by accident looking to fish in the quarry/ponds? there. Its more overgrown right now than the picture appears to be and since the spring made it swampy flowing towards the pond, the mosquitoes were really heavy at the spring.
back by the lake/pond the mosquitoes were a little less intense.! fishing wasnt any good there to be worth the walk in. I took the train tracks there after parking south of the Des Plaines river. parking is limited! and the trains come almost hourly in the afternoon.
Discovering the unknown spring was a nice suprise! but nothing glamorous. and I wondered if the water is pure for drinking with the Argonne plant being uphill to the north. There was known to be some contamination spots up in the park at one time.
i went to this well today. i brought home 2.5 gallons of water. it smells funny. does anyone drink this water. trying to find out how safe it might be. i went when it was raining a little bit, so im wondering if this would cause the water to smell funny. i also did some research and it looks like the land where the well is located, is near argonne national labs, where in the past radioactive waste may have been buried. so could this waste pollute the water? i dont know of any other water sources near me. i need to find one. at this point i am prepared to drive up to 2 hours to get clean water. i am done with city water
Hi Chris – I just sent an email to Gold Springs Bottled water in Hartzburg, IL which is only about 35 minutes from me (Peoria area). It would probably be about 2.5 hours for you. https://find-a-spring-stage.local/gold-springs-atlanta-illinois/ You have to pay for it, but it sounds reputable.
never been to this well, but if you willing to drive for spring water I would recommend the spring in Kenosha. I filled up from there a few days ago and am very happy with the water quality.
I tried on 2 different occasions to find this well. When I spoke to the forest preserver they said they don’t maintain it. There was no path and very over grown area. Could not see the path to get there.
Drinking pure spring water is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Our bodies are over 99% water at the molecular level, so water affects every aspect of our biology. Yet, not all water is created equal. Almost all the bottled spring water available is pasteurized for shelf stability, which neutralizes many of the powerful health benefits such as increased hydrogen, healthy probiotics, and crystalline structure. For more about why unprocessed spring water is the best water to drink, read this.
The best way to guarantee you are getting real unprocessed spring water is to collect it yourself. This is a short and simple guide filled with information about how to gather spring water. We will cover how to find a spring, how to collect the water, how to honor the spring, how to store the water properly and other tips.
FindASpring.org is the best resource for locating a spring near you. However, not all springs are on the map. First, check the map to see if there is a spring in your local area. If there is, look at the reviews and comments. Has anyone shared helpful information about flow rate or posted a water test result? Is the spring in a pristine area? Do a bit of research and make sure the spring is safe to drink from. If you have any doubt about the purity, don’t risk it and get a water test, HERE. If you don’t see a spring on the map in your area, there still might be some that aren’t listed yet. First, ask the older generation who have lived in your area a long time if they know. You can also ask people in your community who might already get spring water such as people at a health food store or at a farmers market. Another great option is to view A US forest service map, where many springs have been marked. You can view these maps through the Gaia GPS or All Trails hiking apps on your phone. The map overlay you want is USGS Topo. Not all are easily accessible or ideal for drinking, but some are and it can be a fun adventure to find them. We have found over half a dozen great springs this way.
Once you’ve found your spring, figure out how you are going to gather the water. Is it right on the side of the road and easy to access or do you have to hike to it? We recommend storing spring water in glass instead of plastic to preserve the purity of the water. It is better for the environment, your body, and the water. Even BPA free plastic has toxic chemicals that can leach into water and cause health issues. If you do want to use plastic for safety reasons when filling at the spring, we recommend transferring the water to glass as soon as possible. FindASpring is sponsored by Alive Waters, which offers beautiful reusable glass. They have a 2.5 gallon option, which is a convenient size for carrying that isn’t too heavy. They also sell handles that you can use to transport the jugs even more easily. If you have to hike to access the spring, we recommend putting the water jugs into an extra large backpack to hike the water out with ease. We use Osprey packs that hold 2 jugs each. You can also use a wheelbarrow or even a stroller depending on how easy a walk it is.
Filling 2.5 Gallon Alive Waters Jug
When you get to the spring, remember to first give back before you take. Springs are considered sacred in indigenous cultures around the world for their life giving water and also as a connection to the inner earth. A powerful and simple way to give back is to clean up. Is there any trash that needs to be collected? Could you move any dead leaves or sticks to improve the flow rate? Show up in service. Some other wonderful ways to give is with a moment of expressing verbal gratitude, singing songs to the water, offering the water an ethically sourced crystal, a feather, or some other physical gift. Flowers are a popular and beautiful thing to offer, but please be careful to source organic ones as most flowers from the store are sprayed with pesticides and can be toxic to put near a spring. Also, flowers can attract bugs as they decay, so it can be best to offer them to the flowing water directly or a little downstream from the spring head.
When gathering the water, fill the jug as close to the spring head as possible, never gather downstream. Be very careful as wet glass is extremely slippery. Make sure the lid is securely fastened. When transporting the spring water home, the jugs can sometimes slide around the car. Secure them in place or wrap them with towels or something so they don’t crash into each other.
How you store your spring water is essential. It is not pasteurized like spring water from the store, so it will start growing algae if left in direct sunlight. This is good because it means it’s alive! If the water you drink can’t even support the most basic life forms, how do you think it will support your body? Store your water in a cool, dark place such as a dark corner, pantry or closet. The fridge is ideal if you have room. Some people prefer to filter their water through a Berkey filter before drinking, but if the spring is pure, it’s not necessary. We drink our spring water completely unfiltered.
How long the water stays good for depends on how cold a temperature it’s stored at. Spring water is best fresh. We personally do not prefer to drink spring water past 2 weeks old. However, we know other people that will drink it at a month old. It’s great to get in a rhythm where you know how long the water lasts you and put your collection day on the calendar in advance.
I believe that water is calling us to reconnect with her in the deepest way, to gather our own water. Just like our ancestors did. Our ancestors didn’t have fancy water machines. They also didn’t create villages or settle where there was no water. Water was revered as the center of the community and the nodal point around which life could spiral out and take root.
Here’s to restoring the sacred connection with the waters of life.
Written by Dakota Chanel. Water Priestess and Ceremonialist. DakotaChanel.com
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Waterfall Glenn Well, Lemont, IL
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Well if it smells funny it could be iron or some sulfur. Anyway if it smells then it probably is not that great to drink. I bet it has a high amount of TDS. I go to Rock Springs in Wisconsin.
Thank you! And how was the water? Did you stock up?
Found it today. Its an artesian wellm and it's located right near the police shooting range off of Lemont Road. There is a path that goes right past the shooting range parking lot. After you pass the lot, look for a path to the left; you will hear the spring. If you hit the “no swimming” sign, youve gone too far.
I live minutes from here. So excited to hear about this. Maybe I will take a jog later today and try and find it.
Hello all,
I am from the Rockford area, and I have been searching for a pure water supply. After skimming through what is available in Illinois, I’ve found Artesian Well at Paradise Cove in Winslow, IL. I’ve read multiple reviews and watched some videos with positive responses. The water is tested 2x a month, and there is a spout to easily access water. Just thought I’d share this with you all.
Now, I’m sure this is much further for most who are looking for pure water near the city, but I can rest assure you it’s worth it, and a great day adventure to get a month long supply of water. If anyone is interested in a water delivery service to your area, near the city or suburbs, I can deliver in glass jugs. If you are interested contact True Hippie at (608)313-4693. I also offer natural cleaning products and services. Good luck on your search, and stay hydrated! Peace & Love – Anna
I’m on the late show, however I can witness all of the credits that are due. I learned about findingsprings.com while reading an interesting article of the Northwest Quarterly (Holiday/Winter 2018 edition – page 29) about PARADISE COVE PARK in Winslow, IL. I live a few counties east of there! Thanks!
This was the location of many nuclear reactors right? Does that concern anyone? There is a lot of strange “stuff” in this forest.
Here is a link from Wikipedia about the buried reactor :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Site_A/Plot_M_Disposal_Site
After reading this , I wouldn’t go hiking in that area let along drink water from a spring there . It was buried 60 years ago and only God knows how many hundreds of years it will take for the area to become safe again .
The amazing thing is the stupid bastard conducted the first Nuclear reactor test right in the Middle of the densely populated Chicago , without any cooling or protection . Who knows how many people got cancers after that experiment and blamed it on their bad fortune , never knowing the truth that they were victums of “progress ”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Pile-1
Im going this weekend to look for this spring, I'll let you know what I find. If I dont find it, would you be interested in carpooling to WI for water?
I wouldnt drink water from this area. I know for sure there were the US first two Nuclear reactors buried In an area next to Red Gate woods along archer avenue. I believe this was possibly what was known as the first argone. This area is not to far from water fall Glen area. There have been ground water tests and radio active contaminants were found in the ground water even as far south of Joliet. About 12 years ago they fenced of an area in these woods and did some sort of clean up. There was even a spot called plot M which contained Contaminated waste. If you hike through these woods they have stone markers. As far as water fall glen The actual water fall where the water is, is contaminated with treated sewer water from Argone labs facility. I was told this by a forest ranger when I asked about small signs that were posted near the falls on trees.
I would be careful and do some due diligence before consuming water from this spring.
About the smell some of that area in lemont / lockport have notoriously smelly well water with a high Iron content.
Mike, I appreciate you posting the information you came to know about. I wish it wasn’t so sad, but I also know what corporations get by with and how little they care about nature–land, water, air, animals, people. (As if our so called government ever gave a damn about it’s people.) My God, it is heartbreaking. I’m not too far from this site and felt so hopeful of something being nearby. But I’d rather know the truth. So, again, thankyou for the information you posted. I suppose, in retrospect, that anything near a large city like Chicago would be tainted.
But then, you never know. I heard there were over 7,000 toxic waste dumps in the most pristine areas of Alaska….oh, my heart hurts to find that out. What people do for money! It won’t be long before everything comes caving in, in my vision. There’s only so much abuse Nature will tolerate before the consequences are felt by all. I trust the info from the forest ranger, in fact, I’m sure he has a lot more.
Thankyou, kindly, Mike.
hi laney,
I like your attitude and concern for nature. we need more people like you (and I) .
There is another site you might be interested in about preserving nature (if youre not already aware of it):
https://secure.npca.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=535
remember though that 50+ years ago they didnt have the same concern or realizations about nature and were learning about the nuclear stuff!!
sad but what can we do accept not let it happen anymore! A friend of mind lived near Argonne in Burr Ridge and was proactive in helping spur a group that got them to clean up a lot in the WFGlen preserve!
-rich
To you all I am aware of the contamination first hand and the lack of honesty by Argonne and Department of Energy. I would not drink the water if I was dieng in a dessert, I’d rather drink my own pee or Cyonide, Argonne claims for the water to be safe, and provide their own evaluations, Science is not sophisticated enough to tell you what the future dangers could be and if they can be detected at this time, and if they knew they would not tell you, at least not right away, Pilcher park used to have a well I believe it dried out, I used to go there as a kid with my dad and bring gallons for the whole family for the whole week in the 70’s
Was just at the well today after visiting this website. I find it better to park in downtown Lemont and walk the tracks all the way to the well, instead of parking on Lemont RD (because its illegal). The well is flowing really good. The water IN the well didnt smell and was super clear. But some water around the well have a rainbow film around it, a sign of oil or something else you wouldnt want to drink. Still a great hike though, but I wouldnt drink it.
It really doesn’t seem worth it to touch this water based on the concerns.
Where else to people go around here for water? That place near Peoria?
What place in Peoria? Such a struggle to find good water around Chicago
Has anyone actually had this water tested? I’ve been drinking bottled water from the grocery store but I’m much prefer some clean spring water- but I would definitely want to be sure of its safety first. Can anyone verify its purity?
Any updates on this spring? Does anybody know if it is still running? What other springs do you all go to? I’ve never gotten water from a spring before but I would like to start doing so. Thanks.
this was posted on just weeks ago @ http://www.dupageforest.com/Conservation/Forest_Preserves/Waterfall_Glen.aspx
“”DISTRICT ALERT: The District will treat a section of Waterfall Glen with aquatic-approved herbicide using targeted ATV and helicopter application the week of Aug. 19 if weather conditions are favorable. For more information on plans for aerial treatment of invasive vegetation at Waterfall Glen, click here.””
…;please look into this further!
No, i was thinking i should do some research to see if its cheap to get the water tested. I don't have a TDS meter, so i dont have any idea. I am still looking for a place to get water nearby. The closest source that i know of, other than this one is 2 hours away.
Chris,
Did you end up getting the water tested?
Are you sourcing water from elsewhere>?
Dee
no you will not be able to walk there with a 5 gallon jug. but what i did, is ride my bike, with my kids bike trailer attached and the 5 gallon jug in the back…but you can read my other posts to see why i am unsure about drinking this water
so i see that there is a way to drive there if you go down the path the police must use to access the shooting range. im not sure if its a good idea but then again, i dont care. im driving as close as i can get with my 5 gallon
hi…someone tell me ..what is the difference betw bottle water and spring water…and talking about spring water,, it is safe or do I have to make something to make it safe?
I grew up in the area and currently live in Homer Glen. We have well water which contains much rust and tastes terrible. I currently purchase 5-gallon bottles for drinking/cooking. As a child I remember getting water from a spring along Bluff Road in Lemont. But the pipe has been removed years ago. I am sure as people moved into the area, it became a traffic concern. I am interested to learn more about the Waterfall Glen well. Is it a far walk? Would it be feasible to carry 5-gallon water bottles to fill? From the picture it looks as if I may need a hose, its this a correct assumption?
Can someone please tell me if this is a spring or if it is an artisan well? I usually travel to Wisconsin for my spring water, however, I literally live in an apartment complex right next to Waterfall Glen. I'm just looking for the scoop on this one… 🙂 Also, where is this spring/well located specifically? I'm familiar with the main trail.
Thank you,
Katie
to the doubters below writing about not drinking from the well and the dangers, etc…..I don’t believe any of it. I grew up in Lemont and as a kid hiked and fished back there several times, always filling a canteen or bottle with water from the well and aside from my twigs glowing in the dark, I find myself in perfect health (kidding)….seriously, I drank from that well dozens of times when I was a teenager hiking back there….actually googled it and found this as we were there today (I am 50 years old now)…..we filled a couple of water bottles and hiked back and I’m still here to write about it…that water can’t be any more harmful than the stuff pumped through your home faucet I say…
You are probably right about the faucet water. However I do know for a fact that the US government fenced off a large area along archer and had a team of people up there cleaning up leaking stuff. I talked to one of the guards thru the fence the years they were doing it. I have also read reports about leakage in the ground water in local papers in the past. Hickory Hills used to mix well water and city water and regarding discussions about what was buried along archer they stopped doing it. The reports also showed radio active materials found in the ground water as far south as Joliet that came from the site along archer next to red gate woods.
It would be good if someone can have this well tested or find out if it has ever been tested. If I was thirsty enough I would drink it but Im not so I wont.
Also radioactivity or particles are not immediately dangerous and what it may do to one may not happen to the other. strength of contamination is also a factor.
Do you happen to have a good way to get back there? The easiest looks like to hike down the road the PD uses to get to the range but was wondering if there was a better way.
I agree with Ryan J. I live in the area as well and there has always been a shroud of mystery as to some of the goings on and testing that has been done at Argonne National Labs…never forget the space suited team that showed up at a home in Lemont a few years back as an employee was caught bringing some work home with him. Not sure what happened to the employee…however, there have been various stories about the testing over the years, I would be afraid it would be contaminated as well. Do people go in and actually take water from this spring?
Mrjaw,
Thankyou for that warning! Argonne employees…the space suited team…in Lemont!! It reminds me of the movie “Silkwood”. My God, would it happen so close to home! Oh, Yikes!
Thanks for the excellent directions HFG. It’s an interesting area with a huge Hindu temple nearby and those old limestone structures. I am worried about people drinking this water because the Argonne Laboratory that sits in the middle of this land! I found a couple of old articles mentioning groundwater contamination in this exact area. Google “waterfall glen” “cleaning fluids” This place is 15 minutes away from where I live (Woodridge, IL) so I really wanted it to work but I don’t think I’ll be drinking any water from this spring. I like the idea of carpooling to Wisconsin or the spring near Peoria. I would be up for this but probably not until mid March 2011.
Thankyou Ryan J.
I’m in Woodridge, too. A while back they expanded Woodridge to include land south of I-55 in what used to be Lemont. I’m aware of the temple you mentioned. The thought of that water being tainted is just heartbreaking. The picture up above looks sooo nice. How sad that anyone would pollute such a precious resource. I wonder now about the other ones in Illinois posted on the main map. I found Mike’s comment at the bottom from one month ago to be very significant, and sad. You may be interested in reading what he has to say. And now with the fallout from Japan the USA’s prior nuclear testing maps have surfaced on youtube. What a mess. Thankyou for your information about the cleaning fluids. I will read all I can, thankyou so much!
This artesian spring is not marked on any of the forest preserve maps you get from DuPage county. To find it orient yourself facing south on Lemont Rd, at Bluff Rd, on the east side of Lemont Rd you see a trailer storage lot, you also see two sets of high tensions wire towers. A vehicle path goes under the high tension tower, there is a chain that blocks the path, just before you reach the chain there is a spot you can park your car (when facing East it is to the left of the vehicle path). You will have to walk roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of a mile East (you will pass under 6 (six) high tension towers, and will have passed the Lemont Police dept shooting range). About halfway before you reach the next (#7 from Lemont Rd) high tension tower you will find a grass covered path on the left which seems to double back a bit towards the West, follow it a few hundred feet. On your right you should be able to see a pond through the trees, as you get closer to the well, you should be able to hear the well before you reach it. The path is rough, make sure you have some good shoes or boots on, if you have a folding hand truck bring it along, you will be glad you did.
very good description!. I was just there the other day. stumbled upon it by accident looking to fish in the quarry/ponds? there. Its more overgrown right now than the picture appears to be and since the spring made it swampy flowing towards the pond, the mosquitoes were really heavy at the spring.
back by the lake/pond the mosquitoes were a little less intense.! fishing wasnt any good there to be worth the walk in. I took the train tracks there after parking south of the Des Plaines river. parking is limited! and the trains come almost hourly in the afternoon.
Discovering the unknown spring was a nice suprise! but nothing glamorous. and I wondered if the water is pure for drinking with the Argonne plant being uphill to the north. There was known to be some contamination spots up in the park at one time.
very good description!. I was just there the other day. stumbled upon it by accident looking to fish in the quarry/ponds? there. Its more overgrown right now than the picture appears to be and since the spring made it swampy flowing towards the pond, the mosquitoes were really heavy at the spring.
back by the lake/pond the mosquitoes were a little less intense.! fishing wasnt any good there to be worth the walk in. I took the train tracks there after parking south of the Des Plaines river. parking is limited! and the trains come almost hourly in the afternoon.
Discovering the unknown spring was a nice suprise! but nothing glamorous. and I wondered if the water is pure for drinking with the Argonne plant being uphill to the north. There was known to be some contamination spots up in the park at one time.
Dear HFG,
Thankyou so very much. I appreciate the effort you took to share the information you have.
Can any one buy a TDS tester and test this water ? This way we all know the quality of the water…. TDS testers go for about $15 ….
Can Anyone please test this water with a TDS tester??? would tell us how good of a quality the water is. Thank you!!
i went to this well today. i brought home 2.5 gallons of water. it smells funny. does anyone drink this water. trying to find out how safe it might be. i went when it was raining a little bit, so im wondering if this would cause the water to smell funny. i also did some research and it looks like the land where the well is located, is near argonne national labs, where in the past radioactive waste may have been buried. so could this waste pollute the water? i dont know of any other water sources near me. i need to find one. at this point i am prepared to drive up to 2 hours to get clean water. i am done with city water
Hi Chris – I just sent an email to Gold Springs Bottled water in Hartzburg, IL which is only about 35 minutes from me (Peoria area). It would probably be about 2.5 hours for you. https://find-a-spring-stage.local/gold-springs-atlanta-illinois/ You have to pay for it, but it sounds reputable.
never been to this well, but if you willing to drive for spring water I would recommend the spring in Kenosha. I filled up from there a few days ago and am very happy with the water quality.
I tried on 2 different occasions to find this well. When I spoke to the forest preserver they said they don’t maintain it. There was no path and very over grown area. Could not see the path to get there.