Walking around Hartwick State Park in Michigan earlier today, I came across a hand operated well pump, on the camp ground property, not just a random well in the woods.I gave it a few pumps and water came up, so I pumped for another minute or so, and then called my dog over, since he had been searching for water.He drank heavily from the water as I pumped it. I had not noticed any smell from the water, but had not consumed any myself.A few hours later, I went back and filled a water jug for myself, and just had a glass... the water has a strong chlorine taste but no odor. Now I'll see how sick I get... I feel sick to my stomach, but I think its nerves and not the chlorine.I'm guessing someone has shocked the well and not bothered to put up a warning sign or to secure the well until the shock treatment dissipates.My dog's nose is dry and he's sleepy, but not vomiting or exhibiting other signs of distress.I called Crawford county 911 and they blew me off, said its totally outside their control (which is BULL HOCK, I know a county can dispatch state DNR officers and state police, I work for a 911 dispatch center)I want a DNR officer to come put a padlock on the well so no one else gets poisoned.Just called the DEQ and reported the well as polluted. They're going to get ahold of the DNR and have the well purged.

GordonThree wrote: the water has a strong chlorine taste but no odor..You can taste the chlorine but there is no smell?Anyone else find this odd?

Altern wrote:GordonThree wrote: the water has a strong chlorine taste but no odor..You can taste the chlorine but there is no smell?Anyone else find this odd?Yeah, but if it is cool/low humidity maybe. Especially if OP is a smoker or something.If the water tasted of chlorine but didn't smell I probably wouldn't drink any more of it, but I also wouldn't be super worried.Dogs are pretty smart too, and the dog thought it was okay. :)

If you are concerned if the water is safe to drink contact the local health department. They may have the ability to test the water or give you information on where you can have the water tested.

The smell commonly associated with chlorine bleach is actually from the oxidation byproduct and breakdown of the chlorine salt (sodium hypochlorite). The salt dissolved in cold water with nothing to oxidize will not be giving off much smell. I emptied most of the jug onto the dirty ground and there was plenty of smell. A clean chlorinated pool will have slight odor, a dirty one will have a strong odor.The State health department isn't going to say anything about another State agency.I saved some of the water and I'll have it tested on Monday. Problem is, the sample 48 hours from now will have degraded considerably.I don't really care if anyone believes me. I know my dog became sick shortly after drinking the water. It is my fault for not tasting the water first, but I'm going to be a thorn in the side of whomever is responsible for maintaining that drinking water well. As to how smart my dog is, compared to a human, he's as dumb as a post. He certainly has no chemistry background and I doubt he knows anything about the quality of the water he's drinking.I just posted as a caution for others to not trust drinking water wells, even in government run campgrounds.

Thank you for your post, that is a very good reminder to all of us to be cautious. I hope you pup is ok..

May have poisoned my dog | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

AZPops
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
Deb and Ed M wrote:
AZPops wrote:

Calvin's got a great sense of smell, he don't drink anything that isn't bottled. He can tell you if it's Walmart / Safeway brand, Evian or Fiji water, he's that good. ... LOL

Pops

Sounds like you've kept Calvin from his true calling, working for the DEA....LOL!!!!

I knew I did something wrong! He could've been pulling a nice pay check, and I could've been driving a bullet proof blacked out Suburban!

Awh well, story of my life!

Pops
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2014
AZPops wrote:

Calvin's got a great sense of smell, he don't drink anything that isn't bottled. He can tell you if it's Walmart / Safeway brand, Evian or Fiji water, he's that good. ... LOL

Pops

Sounds like you've kept Calvin from his true calling, working for the DEA....LOL!!!!
chrisnpat
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
RRBob wrote:
My dog drinks water out of the toilet and from mud puddles. Never had any problem.

Thats funny you say that, we had a cocker who would only drink Britta Filter water. Lake Michigan water is chlorinated and yes she would smell it first before she drank it. The Britta
filtered the chlorine out of the water.
RRBob
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
My dog drinks water out of the toilet and from mud puddles. Never had any problem.
AZPops
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
Deb and Ed M wrote:
sue.t wrote:
Is there any hydraulic fracturing in that area?
That could contaminate a water well rather easily.

Hope you dog recovers well.

Not close to Hartwick - and Michigan has super-stringent rules for fracking (Yay!). I'm sure it was just leftover chlorine from making sure a water source was "clean". But I agree with the OP - it should have been run clear before being offered for public consumption.

Given their sense of smell, I'd like to think a dog wouldn't drink anything too laden with chlorine?

Calvin's got a great sense of smell, he don't drink anything that isn't bottled. He can tell you if it's Walmart / Safeway brand, Evian or Fiji water, he's that good. ... LOL

Pops
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2014
sue.t wrote:
Is there any hydraulic fracturing in that area?
That could contaminate a water well rather easily.

Hope you dog recovers well.

Not close to Hartwick - and Michigan has super-stringent rules for fracking (Yay!). I'm sure it was just leftover chlorine from making sure a water source was "clean". But I agree with the OP - it should have been run clear before being offered for public consumption.

Given their sense of smell, I'd like to think a dog wouldn't drink anything too laden with chlorine?
AZPops
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
I ALWAYS bring our own water with us. If we run out, I purchase the bottled stuff.

Anonymous Jr. prefers / makes me buy either Evian, or Fiji bottled water. He also likes flat (as in when all the bubbles are gone) Pellegrino bottled water.

Anonymous
Go_Dogs
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
GordonThree wrote:
The smell commonly associated with chlorine bleach is actually from the oxidation byproduct and breakdown of the chlorine salt (sodium hypochlorite). The salt dissolved in cold water with nothing to oxidize will not be giving off much smell. I emptied most of the jug onto the dirty ground and there was plenty of smell. A clean chlorinated pool will have slight odor, a dirty one will have a strong odor.

The State health department isn't going to say anything about another State agency.

I saved some of the water and I'll have it tested on Monday. Problem is, the sample 48 hours from now will have degraded considerably.

I don't really care if anyone believes me. I know my dog became sick shortly after drinking the water. It is my fault for not tasting the water first, but I'm going to be a thorn in the side of whomever is responsible for maintaining that drinking water well. As to how smart my dog is, compared to a human, he's as dumb as a post. He certainly has no chemistry background and I doubt he knows anything about the quality of the water he's drinking.

I just posted as a caution for others to not trust drinking water wells, even in government run campgrounds.

I have never let my dogs drink from strange sources. I always haul water along. And when I say strange, I mean ANY water that I did not bring from home. Even water that does not contain chemicals can have bacteria that is foreign to the dogs system. Dogs are smarter than many people that I've known. I would not refer to my dog as 'dumb as a post', when I worried that I was the one that may have poisoned him. :R
darsben
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2014
The possibility exists someone used Bromine instead of Chlorine. Bromine is used in Hot Tubs instead of chlorine because it does not heat dissipate as easily. I use Bromine to Sanitize my fresh water tank and in my black and grey tanks to eliminate odors. The Bromine does not smell like chlorine but sure tastes of Chlorine. By the way the tablets do an excellent job of eliminating black tank odor as it kills all the bacteria. No decay from bacteria translates into much less odor.
sue_t
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
Is there any hydraulic fracturing in that area?
That could contaminate a water well rather easily.

Hope you dog recovers well.

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May have poisoned my dog

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