Health commissioner: Don’t drink the spring water on County Road 19

MONROE — The Orange County Health Department has placed a sign warning people not to drink the water at a fresh water spring on County Road 19.

The Orange Turnpike spring has been used by longtime residents for drinking purposes and other uses.

Town of Monroe highway employees filled jugs at the site to be used for drinking purposes at the garage.

But before the employees drank the water recently, they sent it to the county Health Department to be tested.

The results were a positive reading for bacteria.

The Health Department put up the sign warning that the water was not potable.

However, the hose attached to the spring was not removed. That was because the spring and the hose are on private property, according to Health Department Commissioner Dr. Jean Hudson.

The commissioner said this is not an uncommon problem.

“The springs are not testable because it depends on the weather,” the commissioner said. “You don’t know if (the water) is going to be good or bad. There is just no way to be ensure that it is safe.”

When told how one resident said locals have been taking water from that particular spring for generations, Hudson replied: “Just because you go there all the time, doesn’t make it safe.”

- Claudia Wysocki