Purifying Your Water
By HOOKED™ Staff
Jul 5, 2002, 12:13
No one wants to bring home ‘little friends’ from the backcountry, but unless you purify your water properly, you may be spending more time than usual in the can.
Filters
They’re compact, light, and easier to use than ever.
Buy a filter that removes both protozoa and bacteria.
A filter with a rating of one micron or smaller will remove protozoa such as giardia and cryptosporidium, as well as parasite eggs and larvae.
It takes a pore-size efficiency of less than 0.2 microns to remove harmful bacteria.
Most antiviral filters involve an iodine element; when its job is done, a carbon element rids your water of any face-scrunching aftertaste.
If your water source could possibly be contaminated with sewage, let the iodine sit in the water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Filter Clogs
If you force water through a filter that’s tough to pump—meaning it’s clogged—you may not be filtering out those nasty little creatures. Either clean your filter or use prefilters to extend your filters capacity. Most importantly, read the user instructions
Other Water Treatments
Boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes will kill "heat resistant" waterborne pathogens, like giardia, but takes a lot of time and fuel.
Iodine and chlorine are an effective means of killing (although not removing) bacteria, viruses and microorganic parasites, given enough contact time (about 20 minutes).
Potable Aqua is a popular tablet form, iodine water-treatment system. An unopened bottle has a shelf life of five years. Once opened, however, its shelf life deteriorates rapidly.
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