Purifying water

[rockin]

We are going on a camping/hike for a weekend (2 weekends from now). Our buddies talked us into it. It’s just us adults – the kids are going to their grandparents. I got a bit scared when my hubby’s friend said how do you purify water? I’ve never camped anywhere that I had to purify water before. So what is the easiest way to do this and is it safe?

[ponderosa]

There are a number of safe options. You can boil it for a minute. I don't like this method because it makes the water taste "flat," and you have to wait for it to cool off again. You can purchase purification tablets or drops at any outdoor shop. Just add the prescribed amount to a container of water, wait a bit, and drink. Different brands have different chemicals and instructions; just follow the directions. Aqua Mira is one brand well-liked by a lot of folks. There is a little gizmo called SteriPen, which uses UV light to purify water. You stick the light end into your water bottle, push the button, and just like magic, safe water. The downsides to this one are the initial purchase cost, the possiblity of breaking the bulb, and the fact that it doesn't remove silt or other particles from the water. That brings me to my personal favorite, which is a simple pump action water filter. I like the Katydyn Hiker, but there are many good options on the market.

[Grandpa]

If this is a one time trip, a simple squeeze bottle with the filter inside will be sufficient and cheapest. Find them most anywhere. But of all the methods out there, I still prefer the katydyn hiker or hiker pro.

[IndianaHiker]

Love my MSR Miniworks.

MSR Miniworks EX

[Lamebeaver]

For a weekend, just get a 6 gal plastic jerry can from Walmart and fill it up.

Ponderosa has good advice if you want to kick it up a notch. Personally, I use a Katadyn Hiker filter.

[wvbreamfisherman]

For a one-shot deal, I'd go with chemical disinfection. Filtration apparatus does a great job, but the upfront cost is significant, and may not be a great idea for a single trip.

Chlorine dioxide is pretty much hands down the best chemical out there. You might have to look around a bit to find it on the shelf. The stuff at walmart is iodine based and works ok, but tastes pretty bad and is not effective against a wide variety of organisms as the chlorine dioxide.

[Lamebeaver]

Originally Posted by wvbreamfisherman

The stuff at walmart is iodine based and works ok, but tastes pretty bad and is not effective against a wide variety of organisms as the chlorine dioxide.

For the iodine based tablets, you can add a little vitamin C (grind up some tablets) AFTER purification and it will neutralize the taste. If you do this, make sure you thoroughly rinse the container before treating again or the residual vitamin C can deactivate the iodine.