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Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Drinking the Water
Small course of water streaming from between two rocks

Holly Spring,Worthington State Forest NJ

The water in this part of the Delaware is very clean, but that does not mean it is ready for humans to drink. Intestinal ailments, such as giardiasis can strike days or weeks after drinking "raw" water. Persons with mmune deficiencies or taking immune-suppressant drugs are at even greater risk.

If a wild animal drinks from a water source, that does not mean that the water is safe for humans to drink.

 
A metal water pump in a wooded area

Water pump on the AT at Blue Mt. Lakes Rd. NJ

Respect the park!
Respect those who follow you!

• To protect others, when backcountry camping, bury all fecal material, including pet waste, at last 8 inches in the ground, and 100 ft. from any water source.
• When camping at river campsites, if there are no latrines at the site, bury all fecal material, including pet waste, at last 8 inches in the ground, and 300 ft. from water.

 
Prevention
• On day hikes and short hikes, bring water from home.
• Always assume that surface water must be treated, even if wildlife are drinking it.
• All surface water should be boiled for three minutes, or otherwise treated before it is consumed. (See Fact Sheet below)
• If you become ill after drinking untreated water, let your doctor know.
 

Fact Sheets

Safe Drinking Water and Giardia  from the National Park Service Public Health Program.

 

Water Quality on the park's Nature and Science pages

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Architect's aerial view of an earthen dam stretching across a wide river

Did You Know?
... that the reservoir of the proposed Tocks Island Dam would have inundated 30 miles of the Delaware River and 30,000 acres of its river valley (now part of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.) The defeat of the dam was an early victory of the environmental movement in this country.
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Last Updated: September 15, 2011 at 11:05 MST