The Healing Spring, Oakham, Massachusetts  5/5 (2)

24 people follow this spring.

Description

Beautiful, strong flowing spring in a peaceful and secluded pine forest. Well known to the locals.

This is an exceptional spring with a constant flow of interesting people to talk to.

Nearest Address

C / O Route 148 and Old Turnpike Rd.

Directions from Nearest Address

Take Route 122 North from the Worcester area until you pass Route 148. Bear left on Old Turnpike Road which is immediately after Rt. 148. Approx. 3 miles turn left on Crocker Nye Road. The spring is on your left side. It can’t be missed from the road.

Vital Information

  • Fee: No fee
  • Access: Public
  • Flow: Continuous
  • TDS: 45
  • Temp: 54 F
  • pH: 6.12

Hours Spring is Open:

Always

GPS:

Unknown

Map Link: The Healing Spring Map

Submitted by: NewDawn

Responses

  1. Ouch, not the update I hoped to find. See my post from 4 months ago stating the cover to the eye of the spring was broken. Regretfully, I did not get back in time to repair and sounds as nobody else did either. How is she now? rehab? After all-unless the area looks contaminated we should be able to resurrect her.

  2. Wow! Just got a chance yesterday to visit the spring and I’m very impressed with the repairs! Great flow as well! Thank you thank you thank you!!
    Water test:
    29 ppm
    61 ul/cm
    58.2F
    14.8C

  3. This looks like a great spring. Has anyone performed a water test here? I live a little less than an hour away and am planning to visit soon to try this water for my family. Thanks!

  4. 1/12/22
    I went to the spring today and the spring was working just fine. The ground was covered in ice but that is to be expected. Just walk like a duck and you’ll be fine.

  5. I haven’t checked it in the last four months but about that long ago I did a quality check on the water from this spring and was very disappointed with the results of the bacterial portion of the test.
    Everything else was great but the culture showed very high levels of bacteria. I didn’t submit it to a lab so I don’t know which types of bacteria they are. However, symptoms of illness went away when I stopped drinking it.
    Also, I left a bottle of it sitting in my kitchen for quite a couple of weeks and it developed an algae growth on the sides of the container.
    I suspect the cistern the water is flowing into, before it goes down the pipe, is contaminated.
    I plan to do a follow-up and I’ll post my findings.

  6. Stopped by today for a fill up! Water was pristine and pipe is nice and clean. No debris/particulate in water and flow rate was fantastic! Best water i have ever had hands down, but 2 thumbs up!??

  7. March 28th 2021 4pm update. The spring box has been repaired! Thank you to whoever fixed this!

    I uploaded a photo. The water was so good, filled my 5 Gallon jug in about 60 seconds.

  8. Does anyone know who maintains this spring? I have a friend who lives no more than two minutes from the spring and would love to be involved in its maintenance. I go quite regularly but I don’t live nearby. We have been concerned recently with the low/no flow, and are hoping it is just a seasonal thing. (This would be our first full year using the spring and don’t know if this is normal for the winter season). Any information that someone can provide would be extremely helpful.

    1. Jacob, the spring is pretty much on its own. Those who maintain it, are usually folks who have the know-how to do so.

      Any things you have in mind that could help, feel free to take charge, as long as the end result is “Shocked”

    1. Hi Nickie, neither of the links are working (or rather, they lead to IG and FB where it says the content is no longer available). Is there still a group dedicated to this spring? My sister and I would like to be a part of it.

  9. UPDATE: May 2020. Someone has COMPLETELY rebuilt this whole system! I submitted a video and picture. Flow rate is 7 GPM!

    I haven’t tested the water, but this looks professionally done!

    1. area resident.

      Went Yesterday, Monday Sept 24th, There Was A Line Of 3 Cars When I got There Filling up. The Water Is Flowing Nicely From A Down Spout. I Took 20 One Gallon Milk Jugs, And The Running Rate Of This Spring, Filled One Gallon In About 10 Seconds. I Have Been Drinking This Water For Years, Never Had Any Troubles with Taste Or Anything Like Other Posts Have Said.

  10. 6/3/12  Went to the spring today. Someone fixed the damage that some hoodlums had caused. There is now a piece of vinyl down-spout in place of the plastic pvc pipe that was there in the past. I am not sure of the quality of the water since all the chaos so i am going to boil it for now. I thank who ever it was that repaired the spring.

  11. I went last week also,(4/21/12) and was very disappointed that the pipe was removed. There was water flowing into the cistern but very slow, and didn’t look to be as clean as what I was used to. I hope it does get rebuilt and back to what it once was.

  12. 4/21/12         I have never commented on this site. However, I love it and visit it frequently. I have been going to the Healing Spring for several months now. Pretty much a weekly to bi weekly basis. I went with my wife today to find that some little punks had vandalized it… The PVC was completely gone and the spring was just running off of a rock from the ground…

  13. April 7, 2012 Went to the spring today after a number of months away and noticed an algae-like substance growing on the inside of the flow PVC pipe. Took a sip of the water and it also has the slight taste of algae. Has anyone had the water tested? What is this growth in the pipe? Safe to drink?

  14. I started drinking this water consistently over a year
    and a half ago. Ive had no issues. A few tips on this water… dont leave it in sunny areas since it is a wils eater source it will act like that… algae and bacteria. If it develops a strong scent boil it. A water specialist who is my client described it to me as safe but a gassing off scenario.

    My home supply is kept in a dark closet or in the fridge closed up until i need it. Never longer than 2 – 3 weeks. If you treat safe water with mindfulness… and oay attention to your body

  15. Water Here Is Amazing! For Some Of You Who Are Not From The Area, Spring (Mud Season) Is Near, And Usually Between March-Early may, The Road Is Very Rutted Out, Just Watch Where You Park, And You Should Be Good.

  16. Back again after a year ago. Suprisingly with the amount of snow on the ground..a well-worn path was cleared and the white PVC pipe was flowing well. Pulled a TDS of about 90 and a PH of about 6.2. Water temp 52 F.

  17. I was just their with my friend today and is seems the pipe was some how redirected to a lower area, right next to the previous one. (or where i presume it was) The flow and clarity seemed fine to me. We both thought the water tasted just fine. They are doing some work on that road so be careful passing.

  18. I just spoke with a lady at the town of Oakham offices. She said the spring was privately owned and the town had nothing to do with it. She said the water had never been tested and she didn't know anything else about it. She also said she had received “several” calls about it and was going to check it out herself. She was very nice but could give no more information than that.

  19. I love this spring, but it needs some attention this coming spring. If someone is motivated a 3'x3' piece of wood will get the job done. The circular rock slab that covered this super-site is broken, (had already been cracked so does not appear malicious) heres the pic below. Pleases check out the whole QUEST album for more awesome supermagicstylespring pics! I will bring something to fix it next time I go, but my next trip is back to my fav–Cooper Springs Maine-so it may not be untill the snow melts that i get back here. .http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30594948&id=1219102796&saved#!/photo.php?pid=30594948&id=1219102796

  20. My well trained linear mind, tells me I'd prefer it more alkaline. I suppose it changes slightly on a day to day basis. I like to dab some on my third eye, drink till it runs down my chin, hold my hand over my heart, then thank God and the Ones That Came Before Us. ( and Daniel ! )

  21. I got 15 gallons a crystal clear water on 10/19/09. That was first my first time, but will definately go back. Old lady in a pick up truck said it's great water she has been drinking since she was a kid. It's an easy water. I loved it, cold smooth replenishment. My body felt radiant over the next few days as I exchanged the filtered water in my body for the “healing spring water.” Technoshaman–keep up the good research, I also want to investigate the mineralogy of the area and find out how it got the name “The Healing Spring.”

  22. My thoughts on debris in the water –
    I was filling up a 5 gallon glass carboy and my friend was trying to hold the pipe to direct it better. I looked at it about 10 minutes later and there was all sorts of stuff floating around. I conclude that moving /shaking the pipe loosens up stuff that normally isn't there. I've never had a problem at this spring before, but you're right in not wanting to drink it on this day.
    My thoughts on Mt. Hitchcock –
    I believe someone cut the pipe. I pulled it out and it was only 18 inches long. I replaced it with a longer pipe and did some work in an effort to restore it, but was unsuccessful. Maybe too much “activity” for the locals.
    TS – I found several others last week. One with a massive chaga growing next to it.
    Feel free to call. 401-228-4598.
    ND

  23. I went to this spring mid October 2009…Filled up 2…5gallon carboys.

    When i got the ater home i noticed pieces of flotsam an the water itself had a slight brown tinge to it.

    I threw both bottles out.

    Im curious to know whats causing this spring to have debris and a brownish tinge to it.

      1. Acceptable levels for Total Dissolved Solids in drinking water is between 50 & 100. I’m not a chemist either, I just like to make sure there’s nothing lurking in my drinking water.

  24. The coordinates are a bit off. If you put the Healing Spring into Google maps, you see it’s 3 miles or so away or if you follow the written instructions, you should get there as well. Water was absolutely delicious & spring was flowing.

  25. Just went today, flow has decreased significantly. Took nearly four and a half minutes to fill one gallon jug. Quality is still fine, but hopefully the flow will come back up.

  26. Just visiting the spring as I post this. Seems the flow has decreased a great deal. Something underground my hve shifted. Took nearly four minutes to fill a gallon jug. Quality is still great, hopefully the strong flow comes back.

  27. Just went to the spring~ something wrong here~ took 30 minutes to get 10 gallons. The flow is poor. With all the rain we have had here the flow should be super.

  28. Does anyone know if the spring has been fixed? It wasn’t flowing through the pipe, except for a trickle, but flowing from the ground level. Hope the owner of the land fixed it. I sure miss this water, drinking it for years.

  29. I was using this spring for most of 2018 for drinking water and it was lovely. I was there 2 months ago, and some locals said that the town had “done some work to it”. Whatever they did to this spring was unfortunate; the black pvc pipe which typically had a beautiful, full stream was barely trickling. And, most of the water was coming out of the ground next to the spring, heavily contaminated with sand. I don’t know if anyone has been to this spring lately and if it has been corrected, but if you go here, plan on spending a long while trying to fill jugs with a minimal flow.

  30. What happened to the spring? Obviously was recently disturbed and compromised. Water was down to a trickle. Usually fill up 50 gallons worth of jugs. Left with no water.

  31. I had the water tested for bacteria – it came back with ZERO coliform bacteria
    However we went out to the spring yesterday and something is wrong – the water has been diverted and is no longer flowing through the PVC pipe. Does anyone know what happened?

  32. I have been getting water here for 25 years….heading out today. It is always fast flowing, cold and wonderful tasting. I am not sure who maintains this, but thank you so much!!! I always bring a plastic trash bag with me to pick up any trash around the area. It’s the least I can do for this free resource. Thank you again.

  33. I love this Spring and I get water regularly. However, when I visited this place last on 11/18/2018 the water was not flowing. Initially i thought may be the water has frozen, it was not, instead the spring had changed `its direction and the water was just flowing in from random places instead of a constant stream.

  34. We go out to this spring every other week to fill up water bottles for our home and my mothers. We live an hr away and our house water smells of bleach due to the chemicals in the water that is pumped into our homes, for me, I am happy with a leaf or a frog or two in my water anyday!

    1. Been searching for a source of good spring water & bingo! Cold, good strong flow, easy fill & just a 100yds on the left on Crocker Nye Road, Oakham. Couple of turnouts on the road for cars. Hooray!

    2. I’ve been going to the spring for 28 years. I drink only this water. I call it my fountain of youth water. I bring my empties and fill…I enjoy the ride to the spring too. I’ve meet many people there, 3 of which, we have exchanged phone numbers and stay in touch. Thank you Healing Spring.

  35. This spring is a lifesaver for my family and neighbor (if not more). Our wells dried up a few months ago and this is our only access to clean water. We have 9 5-gallon jugs we bought to carry water in, hoping for a spring renewal.
    We have had no problems with the water quality (and one of us has a sensitive stomach) outside of the occasional leaf or twig.

  36. I went to this spring on 7/3/16 and the water seemed fine, I didn’t have more than a few 32oz Nalgenes on me so that was all I took but I drank it for the week and felt great. While we were there hanging and hiking a handful of other cars came with people filling up coolers and jugs, so it had to have been ok at the time. Am thinking of heading out there tmrrw or soon, weather permitting, so I’ll try to remember to post an update in a timely manner.

  37. Is anyone still using this spring? I looked for it the other day. There are “no trespassing” signs on much of that road making me wonder if they closed it down. It’s also possible I was just looking in the wrong place.

  38. Hi there,
    My husband and I get water here every few weeks. Fill up with about 40+ gallons each time. We have been coming here for over a year now and never had a problem with the water. It always tastes delicious and keeps well.
    Thinking about getting glass jugs to store the water in versus what we use now which is hard plastic. Anyone have experience with glass? Not sure how we will lift a 5 gallon glass jug full of water. Sounds heavy!

    1. to EMILY: Yes, we use 4 L recycled Fortissimo wine jugs (green glass). We have about 22 of them. We store and carry them in zippered grocery type carrier bags (2 bottles in each bag with cardboard under and between the bottles), have used this system and these same bags and bottles for at least 10 years. They are easy to carry this way, fit into the car, fit under the pipe at our favorite spring and we can rinse the bottles in the sink at home, if necessary. best system yet.

  39. Hi all! Does anyone know what is going on with the 5 orange traffic cones around the spring!!!! Just went and drove 40 minutes each way today and resisted getting water when I saw the cones there as I am not sure what is going on with it or for sure what it means!? Anyone perhaps know? God bless and thank-you!

    1. Hi Kara, I really like the water from this spring but am definitely interested in getting a comprehensive test done on it but really need to find some people willing to pitch in. ANYONE ELSE READING THIS ALSO PLEASE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GOING IN ON A TEST PLEASE CONTACT ME AT: Romanschapter10verse17@outlook.com

  40. Is the presence of coliform bacteria in Jason’s water test something to be concerned about? The test doesn’t mention the measurement per 100ml. Thanks.

  41. Thank you Jason, for having the water tested and sharing your results. Thank you to the Guardians of this wonderful spring who keep the cistern and pipe in good repair. Thank you Mother Earth for this amazing gift that is The Healing Spring. I am so grateful to all of you.

    1. Hi, Jason I also appreciate you having the water tested. I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in going in on and sharing the cost of even a more comprehensive test, especially if hopefully we may be able to find others as well willing to pitch in? THIS NOTE IS ASKING ALL OTHERS READING AS WELL TO PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING ONE ANOTHER BY PITCHING IN FOR A COMPREHENSIVE WATER TEST. If we all chip in perhaps each of our cost would be very little. If interested please contact at Romanschapter10verse17@outlook.com Thank-you and God bless and keep you all!

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.

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