NOTHING BETTER THAN FRESH, COLD SPRING WATER!
Quality water is a non-negotiable requirement for health. Bottled water is shockingly expensive, of questionable quality and environmentally disastrous. We can filter our tap water using a number of methods (steam distillation, reverse osmosis, charcoal filter, etc.), but I prefer to go straight to the source when possible and collect my own water from a natural spring.
No matter where you live in North America, fresh, clean spring water is never very far away. We routinely travel north of the city where we live to pick up delicious, cold water at no cost. This spring is near the Elmvale zoo.
Make sure to use non-BPA containers – glass is best, but a little tricky to find in large sizes and the filled containers are very heavy. Try beer or wine making suppliers for really big glass containers. The gallon container in the photo above originally contained apple cider vinegar. I love to re-purpose bottles and jars, so I am now reusing the glass jar for spring water.
If you think you may have trouble lifting a large container full of water, bring along a pitcher to transfer the water to the larger container which can remain in the car. You might need a funnel too if the opening to your jar is narrow. Once you get home, find a strong friend to help you carry the water inside.
Store the container in a cool place – in the winter, we like the garage but a root cellar or basement might be another choice.