Water flows to the top of Artesian Springs wells after passing through the purifying, alkalinizing and mineralizing processes of a confined aquifer, which is a geologic layer of porous and permeable clay and gravel. The aquifer receives the water from a higher altitude, in this case a protected forest area in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
The complex diversity that characterizes this intact ecosystem creates the quality and purity of our water. This involves intimate symbiotic relationships between and within the geological and biological forces of nature. Scientists are only beginning to understand the intelligent processes at play when a freshwater ecosystem’s own aquifers are left to do their job without any kind of intervention by human activity. This is why it is the responsibility of everyone to advocate for the health and protection of our watersheds.