Water on the trial in Pa

[PhilyHiker]

I'm planing on doing the trail from Ashfield Pa to the Delaware water gap. I was wondering if anyone had info on water supply along the trail. Thatis on thing that is making me alittle nervous.

[torch]

When you climb up Lehigh Gap, you get to where the old zinc processing site contaminated water. The general rule of thumb is that you want to carry enough water to get you from Lehigh Gap to Little Gap because of heavy metal contamination in the water between those two areas.

On top of Lehigh Gap it looks like a nuclear waste land. Dead trees everywhere. It is a surreal sight.

[Crash]

the section from Wind Gap to DWG has few water supplies.
The Leroy A. Smith Shelter just prior to Rte 33 in Wind GAp has water.
And at Kirkridge Retreat House near the shelter.
Rausch Gap all the way to George Outerbridge shelter is usually not a problem for water.

[TankHiker]

Last I heard, they were doing tests on the water outside of Lehigh Gap to see if it is potable. There was only a small, barely visible sign pointing to water (about a half mile before the power lines).

We were stupid with our water rationing here, and needed it. We filtered it and it was fine. It wouldn't be my first choice of a water source, but it's better than nothing if you need it.

-Tank

[scottyfon]

The spring at George W Outerbridge Shelter has been tested and is safe from lead, cadmium and arsenic contamination. You should always use a water purifier against bacteria and viruses nonetheless. It is the last good spring source till after Little Gap. Do not drink from the spring at the Winter Trail springbox. It is an historic relic from steam locomotive days, not a drinking source. It is heavily contaminated. Do not drink from water at the spring before the powerlines atop the dead zone! It is directly above the zinc smelting plant and heavily contaminated with lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Arsenic at those levels will cause breast and testicular cancers, and will inhibit your blood from clotting if you get injured. Lead and cadmium cause nerve problems, not to mention insanity. Two of my hiking dogs that drank there once both developed breast cancers within six months! Shortly after that spring, there is a pond to the right of the A.T. This is a test monitoring pool for measuring toxic levels in surface runoff. It is poison! Skull and crossed bones! Stay out of that water, dont even get wet! Yes, you can filter Lehigh riverwater with a purifier and drink it, if you're too lazy to carry water downhill from Outerbridge spring. But it's second choice water.