Water Spigots On AMC Huts

[DayTrip]

I noticed last week on the Lakes Of The Clouds Hut a water spigot labeled "water" on it on the corner where there "take out" window is for food. I never use huts for water or bathrooms so I'm not sure where one goes to fill up but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't there before. I noticed a few trip reports reference these spigots as well. Was this an alteration to be COVID friendly and still give people an opportunity to get water even if huts were closed or have they always been there and I just never noticed? I have some friends who hike that stop for water at huts so I was curious so I could pass the information along.

 

[skiguy]

The spigots are an addition due to limited operations by The AMC and an effort to limit the inside access. The Lunch Window is certainly a response to create some income for the Club.

 

[DayTrip]

The spigots are an addition due to limited operations by The AMC and an effort to limit the inside access. The Lunch Window is certainly a response to create some income for the Club.

OK. Figured it was new and probably a good idea regardless just to keep foot traffic out of the hut. The window is not new. I noticed that two years ago on a trip through there, complete with menu board, etc. I personally don't like it but I get the money-making opportunity it provides for hut, and I presume tips for the croo. I just don't like the "main street in the wilderness" thing but I'm an admittedly anti-hut guy. I like wilderness to be wilderness.

 

[peakbagger]

I have seen them at some of the huts before. I always assumed they wanted hikers to go inside to refill so there was some level of supervision. Most of the huts need power to get water from the wells so leaving the water running from on unattended faucet is not sustainable given their limited power systems (I expect its less of an issue at Zealand given the hydro system which was formerly driven by hydro but is now DC)

 

[Tom Rankin]

I have seen them at some of the huts before. I always assumed they wanted hikers to go inside to refill so there was some level of supervision. Most of the huts need power to get water from the wells so leaving the water running from on unattended faucet is not sustainable given their limited power systems (I expect its less of an issue at Zealand given the hydro system which was formerly driven by hydro but is now DC)

I haven't seen the spigots, but installing a spigot that requires the user to hold it open would solve that problem.

 

[DayTrip]

I haven't seen the spigots, but installing a spigot that requires the user to hold it open would solve that problem.

I didn't take a close look at it but it appeared to be the normal cross handled crank it open/crank it closed style of spigot. Maybe there's a second shut off inside so the hut crew can regulate so they don't have to supervise all the time?

 

[peakbagger]

Some of the normal taps in the buildings are/were setup with deadman valves . The outside ones I have seen in the past appeared to be for maintenance and operations intended to have a hose hooked up to them which would make spring loaded valves a liability. Sure a big rubber band could solve that issue but during a normal operations I think the intent is to get hikers in the building. It may be marketing as the snacks and store is usually right on the way to the water faucet.

 

[Alex_NH]

Greenleaf Hut also has a spigot on the back with potable water right now. Probably want to use some hand sanitizer after using.

 

[Mike P.]

Zealand had a caretaker last weekend and one way traffic. I thought the water tasted a bit off and since we were camping at Sugarloaf II where we had ample water and I had a liter to go down Zealand & Zealand Road, I didn't drink it. I thought, I am not a hydrologist, perhaps they had been treating it for the amount they usually use when the hut is open. I don't think they are getting the same foot traffic at Zealand then they usually get. They had the bathrooms open also.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

In my experience the hut water never tastes very good. Some are (far) worse than others... I always bring Nuun or Gatorade powder if I'm gonna have to drink from a hut water source. For some reason, I seem to remember that Madison is acceptable (could be faulty memory!) but Zealand, Galehead and Greenleaf are all major yuck.

Tim

 

[peakbagger]

Zealand's water frequently tastes overdosed with treatment chemicals. Reminds me of Polapure. May be safe but not palatable.

 

[Mike P.]

I remember it being good in the 90's

 

[ChrisB]

I remember it being good in the 90's

I think even the well at Pinkham is in a sulfur pocket, or was.

 

[Peaks]

Zealand's water frequently tastes overdosed with treatment chemicals. Reminds me of Polapure. May be safe but not palatable.

I think health regulations require that the water is treated. I'm not familiar with the mechanics of how it is done, but suspect it's fairly easy to overdose.

 

[peakbagger]

I am unsure what standard they need to apply but generally they would need to dose the water supply and ensure that they have a detectable residual amount of disinfectant at the tap to deal with any potential contamination in the piping. I believe all the huts have "drilled" ground water wells to avoid the additional testing and treatment required of surface water supplies. At one point quite a few years ago they had to fly in a specialized knock down drilling rig with a helicopter to drill these deep wells. That being said, I suspect that many are quire shallow and may be closely connected to nearby surface waters so they may be having to put in extra dose to deal with carryover.

My guess is they are using an iodine based treatment as it sure tastes like the Polapure treated water I used for many years. It is far easier to handle than chlorine based products or an ozone generator.