Primary water, the original source of our oceans, is still being created by geological forces. That water, usually in a potable form, comes to the earth's surface in thousands of places, some well known like Jericho and Bahrain where it has provided drinking water for thousands of people for thousands of years. It pours into deep mines all over the world. Hundreds of houses on the rocky shores of Maine get their fresh water from wells drilled into the shoreline granite. Copenhagen gets all its water from a few wells. In Northern Europe, water that can be tapped by wells that do not depend on aquifers is called "ground water". The hallmark of new, or primary, water springs and wells is that they provide water at constant temperature and flow.

But this world-wide source of "new water" has been ignored by geologists and laymen in most countries including the United States. They were taught that all potable water comes from the "hydrological cycle" which merely recycles water already on the surface of our earth.

Michael H. Salzman, an engineer and administrator, researched, wrote and published a book providing detailed information on "new water". As published in 1960, it can be read and/or downloaded from this website. It is not readily available in libraries.

Mike was a long time friend. He handed me one of his last copies in 1970 and asked me to see if I could get some recognition for it. He told me some wealthy people wanting to get approval for funds to build an aqueduct to bring water from the Colorado River to southern California (they succeeded) had bought up and burned all the copies they could find. They also tried (and failed) to have him fired as Director of the Los Angeles Housing Authority.

Today, in 2012, there is renewed interest in "new water". Two companies are working on projects to bring potable "new water" to areas where surface and ordinary well water are contaminated or nearly exhausted. Including wells for primary water drilled in Australia, Southern California and elsewhere, it appears more than 1,000 such wells have been drilled in recent years.

November 2012
Roger Willcox
President emeritus, National Association of Housing Cooperatives
Norwalk, CT USA
willcoxr@juno.com

Links of Interest:

• The Human Side of the Market Place, Jerry Voorhis 1977
• More Examples of: New Water for a Thirsty World, Roger Willcox 2009
• More Evidence Of Primary Water Sources, Roger Willcox 2010