Interesting, and not too surprising. Over the years, I have noticed that the flow rate has gradually dropped at KPS, and the ID of the end of the pipe has become greener with time. Perhaps an accumulation of sediment encouraged bacterial growth?
In driving by several times this spring, I noticed that the fence is crushed in several places by downed trees, there is an increased accumulation of trash, and the area looks poorly maintained. So perhaps leaving the fence unrepaired allows people or animals to contaminate the headwater of the spring?
Too bad, for those who like to rely on the spring. I wonder if this is inevitable, or if it's just another result of the bankruptcy of NYS. I would think replacing the pipe, cleaning the area, and repairing the fence would make the spring good for many more years. I wonder if the "it will just get contaminated again" statement is really "we can't afford to fix it."
Not far up the road is another drainage of water that also flows from a spring. Coincidentally, I checked out the source last week. You may have noticed that on Route 73, about 1/4 mile N of malfunction junction, across from the second pullout on the right, there is a rock cut about 6' high. Water constantly splatters over the rock cut into the ditch, and I have been curious about its source. The water comes from a spring on the hillside about 100' vertically up the hill. Interestingly, there is only about another 30' vertically to the top of the hill. It's interesting to see water rising out of a spring almost at the top of a hill, but there it is. I have no idea of the quality of that water, but the woods around it were free of trash, at least.
Tom
