In Orsha, drinking water from Murashkina spring is dangerous for health
"Murashkin Spring," located behind the memorial complex "For Our Soviet Motherland," has increasingly attracted the attention of the residents of Orsha. Videos appear from time to time on social media showing people collecting water from the spring and talking about how tasty and beneficial it is. But is it really so? A journalist from the "Orshanskaya Gazeta" decided to find out.
First of all, we contacted the Orsha District Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology to inquire about the water quality. Specialists took water samples, and here is the response we received in the editorial office: "According to the results of laboratory tests, the sample of water taken from the spring does not meet the requirements of the hygienic standard 'Indicators of Drinking Water Safety,' approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 25.01.2021 No. 37, for sanitary-chemical indicators (nitrates). The actual value was 100.5 mg/dm3 (with a standard of no more than 45 mg/dm3)."
The specialists of the hygiene center also noted that water with elevated nitrate content is dangerous for humans primarily due to its toxic, poisoning effects. Consumption of such water leads to the formation of methemoglobin in the blood. Unlike regular hemoglobin, methemoglobin does not carry oxygen, leading to oxygen starvation of tissues. Water with high nitrate content is particularly dangerous for small children.
As it turned out, drinking this water is completely unsafe. So, perhaps at least this spring is a holy place? We asked the church ministers to tell us about it. The archpriest of the churches of the Orsha district, priest Dmitry Savushkin, said that the spring has been in this place for a long time, but its exact origin is unknown. Initially, the water flowed through a channel that it had carved itself. Then someone from the citizens beautified this place and installed a metal cross. However, the Orsha Diocese did not give its blessing for this, and the rite of consecration of the place was not performed. This means that the spring is not connected with Divine providence.
From all this, several conclusions can be drawn. First, drinking this water is not only harmful but even dangerous. And unfortunately, it has no miraculous properties.
Viktor SOSNOVSKY.
Photo by the author.