According to legend, Crazy Water could heal everything from arthritis to acid reflux.

After a WFAA-TV report in October put Crazy Water to the test, viewers responded by the hundreds.

"Since I don't have insurance, I thought it was worth a try," said Dallas reisdent Susan Hinson.

Crazy Water is mineral water that's pumped from a rock formation 110 feet beneath Mineral Wells, west of Fort Worth.

Response to the story had a big impact on well owner Carol Elder. "Literally, we could not keep up with the demands," she said. "It was chaos. You could not fill the bottles fast enough; very crazy."

Elder said the well that provides the Number 4 Crazy Water variety actually caught fire working overtime.

Now, folks come from all over to drink what they hope will be healing waters.

Famous Mineral Water Co.

There are four varieties of Crazy Water.

"It just seems to make my digestion a little bit better," said Mike McClure, "so I'm back to get some more."

Former cancer patient Joyce Dunn traveled 140 miles from Santa Anna, Texas, after seeing the report.

"Hopefully it will replace the minerals in my body," she said.

FDA rules forbid water providers from making medicinal claims, but lab tests arranged by WFAA-TV at an acreditied Arlington laboratory in October confirmed that Crazy Water contains a number of minerals with healing properties—including calcium, potassium, magnesium, flouride and lithium.

Lithium is used to treat depression, and it's the reason the liquid earned the name, "Crazy Water."

Scientists also verify that sulfate, a natural laxative, is in the water.

"My wife and I both take it for regulation," said Roby Perry, who claims a cup a day does the trick.

It's the bicarbonate—commonly used for acid indigestion—that got Susan Hinson to try it after WFAA's report. Without her insurance, she could no longer afford a prescription reflux medication.

"If I have heartburn, I will just drink the Crazy Water—which, of course, means I'm sleeping better," Hinson said, "because I'm not up with the reflux all night. It's just been an answer to a prayer."

It worked so well for her that Hinson poured a little in water bowl of her 17-year old, arthritis-plagued dog.

Now a once-homebound Casey is bounding through the yard, catching balls.

"It's phenomenal," Hinson said. "To see the change in Casey, where he's active again—it's really a blessing."

She and many others are convinced: There really is something in the water.

E-mail jstjames@wfaa.com