While filming “Platoon” Willem Dafoe drank stream water while unaware there was a dead pig further upstream, the next few days could be called ‘interesting’
When I lived and taught in Bhutan, up in the Himalayas, we used to source water from streams deep in the higher, uninhabited forests. Yet, as a matter of course, we used to filter and boil it for drinking. Once, when we had it tested, we found water in all the streams contained decayed organic matter, faecal content and several pathogenic bacteria! Doesn’t always have to be human habitation that contaminates water.
Of course, the water further down in the valley, in the river… may not have been very good either! ;)
We stopped doing that in Iceland long ago. We fence in large areas surrounding our water sources, and people are not allowed anywhere close to the water for any reason (unless they’re workers sent to fix the pumps or something similar). When I went to Las Vegas I could hardly believe that they allowed motorboating and swimming in their water source (Lake Mead). But I guess it’s no worse than in India, where about 300 people are cremated every day and their ashes thrown in the Ganges, where people bathe and get their drinking water.
Back in the day, as a boy scout, we went for a hike in the Appalachians. We all had canteens and little chlorine pills to treat water if needed. I decided to take a drink from an inviting babbling brook. Shortly after, we spotted a dead raccoon upstream in the same brook. Long story short – nothing bad happened but the idea was awful.
Scene, Canadian wilderness river: Forgot to fill my water canteen, finally had to and took a big drink, canoes rounded curve, dead bloated cow moose in middle of river. Quetico memories.
Back in the 1700s in Detroit, the French had strip farms on what is now the east side of town. These long narrow farms ran down to the Detroit River. As they used “natural” fertilizer, the runoff went into the river and ran downstream to where the British had encampments and drew their drinking water. Nearly caused a war. As if they needed a reason anyways.
jagedlo over 5 years ago
Looks like some migration is in order…
Mordock999 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Well, they’ve always said that “it,” rolls downhill………, ;)
Watcher over 5 years ago
Well, ain’t that just a pile of S****.
hariseldon59 over 5 years ago
To quote a line from “Airplane”, “What a p*sser!”.
Enter.Name.Here over 5 years ago
Location is EVERYTHING!
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 5 years ago
The entire world is downstream from the entire world.
LeeCox over 5 years ago
Ewwwwww!
Sisu60 over 5 years ago
ever since the dawn of time we have been using our water sources like a toilet there is your sign
TexTech over 5 years ago
A properly done outhouse should put the waste well below the stream bed. Maybe that feature did not come along until Outhouse 2.0.
BigDaveGlass over 5 years ago
While filming “Platoon” Willem Dafoe drank stream water while unaware there was a dead pig further upstream, the next few days could be called ‘interesting’
Nachikethass over 5 years ago
When I lived and taught in Bhutan, up in the Himalayas, we used to source water from streams deep in the higher, uninhabited forests. Yet, as a matter of course, we used to filter and boil it for drinking. Once, when we had it tested, we found water in all the streams contained decayed organic matter, faecal content and several pathogenic bacteria! Doesn’t always have to be human habitation that contaminates water.
Of course, the water further down in the valley, in the river… may not have been very good either! ;)
mrcooncat over 5 years ago
Astronauts drink their own pee … (after its been filtered & purified … still off-putting).
sandpiper over 5 years ago
Old western adage: never fill your coffee pot downstream from the corral. Unfortunately, almost everything seems to be downhill from D.C.
RonnieAThompson Premium Member over 5 years ago
Was this the origin of toilet water?
Zebrastripes over 5 years ago
Oooooh SH*T!
Purple People Eater over 5 years ago
We stopped doing that in Iceland long ago. We fence in large areas surrounding our water sources, and people are not allowed anywhere close to the water for any reason (unless they’re workers sent to fix the pumps or something similar). When I went to Las Vegas I could hardly believe that they allowed motorboating and swimming in their water source (Lake Mead). But I guess it’s no worse than in India, where about 300 people are cremated every day and their ashes thrown in the Ganges, where people bathe and get their drinking water.
lookinside over 5 years ago
Cows many times.
DanFlak over 5 years ago
There ought to be a law that any city’s water supply be downstream of its sewer treatment plant. Then see how quickly they “clean up their act.”
assrdood over 5 years ago
Back in the day, as a boy scout, we went for a hike in the Appalachians. We all had canteens and little chlorine pills to treat water if needed. I decided to take a drink from an inviting babbling brook. Shortly after, we spotted a dead raccoon upstream in the same brook. Long story short – nothing bad happened but the idea was awful.
zeexenon over 5 years ago
Scene, Canadian wilderness river: Forgot to fill my water canteen, finally had to and took a big drink, canoes rounded curve, dead bloated cow moose in middle of river. Quetico memories.
zeexenon over 5 years ago
Have you considered suicide?
cuzinron47 over 5 years ago
It’s the Little House on the Pra…er…Desert.
Airbender over 5 years ago
Back in the 1700s in Detroit, the French had strip farms on what is now the east side of town. These long narrow farms ran down to the Detroit River. As they used “natural” fertilizer, the runoff went into the river and ran downstream to where the British had encampments and drew their drinking water. Nearly caused a war. As if they needed a reason anyways.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 5 years ago
And poisoning our own waters or someone elses is not just bad for us it is stupid in the long and short runs.
g.iangoodson over 5 years ago
I thought Giardia was a New York mayor.
eladee AKA Wally over 5 years ago
Just don’t ever go to the bathroom. Problem solved!!!! Just kidding.
RetFor over 5 years ago
Ants, at least some, actually do quite well with water. They’ll even cling together to form a floating bridge for others to walk across.
poopsypoo Premium Member over 5 years ago
That is so GROSS!!!!!!