got this in my mail...
ZAM-ZAM Water, research by Tariq Hussain.
>> >
>> >
>> >We came here again to perform the Omrah, and I am reminded of the
>> >wonders of Zum-zum. Let me go back to how it all started.
>> >
>> >In 1971, an Egyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying
>> >that Zum-zum water was not fit for drinking purposes.
>> >
>> >I immediately thought that this was just a form of prejudice against
>> >the Muslims and that since his statement was based on the
>> >assumption that since the Ka'aba was a shallow place (below sea level)
>> >and located in the center of the city of Makkah, the wastewater of the
>> >city collecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.
>> >
>> >Fortunately, the news came to King Faisal's ears who got extremely angry
>> >and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement.
>> >
>> >He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources
>> >to investigate and send samples of Zum-zum water to European
>> >laboratories for testing the water.
>> >
>> >The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plant to
>> >carry out this task.
>> >
>> >It was here that I was employed as a desalting engineer
>> >(chemical engineer)to produce drinking water from sea water).
>> >
>> >I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, I remember
>> >that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I went
>> >to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka'aba explaining my
>> >purpose of visit.
>> >
>> >They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we
>> >reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water,
>> >more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well that
>> >supplied millions of gallons of water every year to hajjis ever since
>> >it came into existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim A.S., many, many
>> >centuries ago.
>> >
>> >I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked
>> >the man to show me the depth of the well. First he took a shower
>> >and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that
>> >the water level came up to just above his shoulders.
>> >
>> >His height was around five feet, eight inches. He then started moving
>> >from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since
>> >he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any
>> >inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in.
>> >However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline
>> >inside the well.
>> >
>> >I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with the
>> >help of a big transfer pump which was installed at the well for the
>> >Zum-zum water storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop
>> >enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water.
>> >
>> >Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew
>> >that this was the only method by which you could find the entrance of
>> >the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this
>> >time I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully
>> >observe any unusual thing happening inside the well. After a while, he
>> >suddenly raised his hands and shouted, "Alhamdollillah! I have found
>> >it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the
>> >bed of the well."
>> >
>> >Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the
>> >same phenomenon everywhere in the well. Actually the flow of water into
>> >the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the
>> >level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I took the
>> >samples of the water for European laboratories to test.
>> >
>> >Before I left the Ka'aba, I asked the authorities about the other wells
>> >around Makkah.I was told that these wells were mostly dry. When I
>> >reached my office in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss who
>> >listened with great interest but made a very irrational comment
>> >that the Zum-zum well could be internally connected to the Red
>> >Sea . How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometers away from
>> >the sea and the wells located before the city usually remains dry? The
>> >results of the water samples tested by the European laboratories and the
>> >one we analysed in our own laboratory were found to be almost identical.
>> >
>> >The difference between Zum-zum water and other water (city water) was in
>> >the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of these was
>> >slightly higher in Zum-zum water. This may be why this water refreshes
>> >tired hajjis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that
>> >have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the
>> >European laboratories showed that the water was it for drinking.
>> >
>> >Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false.
>> >
>> >When this was reported to King Faisal he was extremely pleased and
>> >ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way,
>> >it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical
>> >composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more
>> >wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the
>> >miracles of this water that Allah bestowed as a gift on the faithful
>> >coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.
>> >
>> >Let me sum up some of the features of Zum-zum water.
>> >
>> >This well has never dried up. On the contrary it has always fulfilled
>> >the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt
>> >composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability
>> >has always been universally recognised as pilgrims from all over the
>> >world visit Ka'aba every year for Hajj and umrah, but has never
>> >complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that
>> >refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places.
>> >
>> >Zum-zum water's appeal has always been universal.
>> >
>> >This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the
>> >case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation
>> >usually
>> >Takes place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the
>> >growth of algae causing taste and odor problems.
>> >
>> >But in the case of the Zum-zum water well, there wasn't any sign
>> >of biological growth. Centuries ago, Bibi Hajra A.S. searched
>> >desperately for water in the hills of Sufwa and Murwa to give to her
>> >newly born son Hazrat Ismail A.S. As she ran from one place to another
>> >in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool
>> >of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well
>> >which came to be called Zum-zum water.