Fountain of Youth, Schiller Park, IL 21502  5/5 (3)

33 people follow this spring.
Directions:

Description:

Hand pump 20-30 yards walk from road.

“This spring is hand pumped out, people have been collecting water for years. It gets busy on the weekends (LINES) so come during the week. I tested the water with home test kit. Lead -negative pesticide- negative Nitrate/nitrite no trace total hardness pretty high, as all water in IL is 120-250 Bacteria- the test turned purple means none detected Chlorine- none water very cold and keeps cold.” – Paul

Nearest Address

Cumberland and Irving Park intersection

Directions from Nearest Address

On south side of Irving park road (IL 19) west of Cumberland (IL 171) very easy to get to, in and out.

Vital Information

  • Fee: None
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 490-500
  • Temp: N/A
  • pH: 7-8.5

Hours Spring is Open:

24/7/365

GPS:

41.952122,-87.844003

Map Link: Fountain of Youth Map

Submitted by: Paul

Responses

  1. I uploaded the Water Test Results in the picture above. (Circled are the results)

    Hard Water like anything in Illinois, but very very clean as you will see ?.

    Test Date 11-7-22

  2. I used to be very pleased to find this net-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this glorious read!! I undoubtedly having fun with every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.

  3. This well and the other forest preserve wells are regularly tested for bacterial safety. Anyone that has a well water concern about this well or another in Cook County don’t hesitate to give us a call (847) 818-2841.

    1. My friends and I have been using this well for at least a year now, last week there were some signs of contamination, does anyone know anything about this?

  4. Is this pump up and working again? We went there a few weeks ago and the Forest Preserve of Cook County took the handle off the pump and labeled it “under testing and construction”. Please advise if you have any current updates. Cheers!

  5. Just went to get water today and the pump was shut down! There was a plastic band around the pump and I cannot remember exactly the wording but maybe something like “closed for testing”. Anyone know the story?

  6. My son and I went today, June 26, 2017, and the water was glorious. It was a Tuesday after on and several people were there filling up containers. Just wish we lived closer (we are an hour away) so that we could get it all the time!

  7. Hi everyone,
    I am just going to try spring water from here. Do you filter it or not. Anyone one here tried the Glen Well spring water? I hear something about nuclear testings. If this is spring water coming from the depth does it get contaminated. Hope to hear from you. Best regards Keep healthy 🙂

    1. I had the water tested for contaminants. It came up completely clean. I love this water. I’ve been coming here for about 10 years, and met many people whose families have been coming here for generations.
      If anyone wants to see the test results ….please email me….
      Nikkynioc@yahoo.com

      1. For those of you who want a water report for this location…..if I do not respond with in 2 days please email me again in case it went to my spam

        1. Hello! I am very interested about finding out more about this water. I am simply someone who is tired of all this contaminated water as well as plastic bottled water. I simply want what Earth has to offer for us without it being touched by man. Is this water still drinkable today, and are we still able to get some during the winter?

      1. Yes, this well is still in operation. I was there 2 weeks ago. It is very delicious and cold. Very clean. I try to save water in glass containers, but if you are worried about breakeage in driving back with it, you can put it in plastic bottles (will weigh less, too) and make the transfer to glass bottles once home.

        Fun note: Someone in another post a couple years back said that Italians come to this particular well to make wine. I have had chats with some of those older Italians and they told me that back in 1955 the Pope had visited Chicago and was taken to this well. The Pope blessed this well. Many say this well has healing powers. I think it does, too. Except it would be because of the rich and balanced minerals contained in this water.

        The reason the well was closed ini 2011 was because of over flooding by way too much rain. The city had to make sure the well wasn’t contaminated with outside bacteria from nearby rivers and waterways.

        It is just a few minutes from O’hare International Airport. I’ve been going on and off since the mid 1960’s. Happy pumping!

  8. Hello everyone. I’m trying to raise the funds to get this water tested at a professional lab. The cost of the testing for 46 different contaminants is $495. This is very expensive for one person, but if we can find at least 50 people that are willing to split the cost it would just cost $10. If anyone else is interested please see the fundraising page. Once the funds are raised and water is tested I will forward the results to all involved! Link to the fundraising page: https://fnd.us/c/8wfw6/sh/c4Wst7

  9. I just went to this location January 29, 2014 and the pump is not working. It seemed to be broken not pumping water. I live far away can someone close by post comment if its working please.

How to Collect Spring Water

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.

US Find A Spring members can get a 15% discount at WaterCheck.com use coupon code COMMUNITY

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