No matter how clear or inviting that creek or stream looks, don't even think about it! All natural water you encounter (perhaps with the exception of some springs, if you are directly at the source) should be considered contaminated and treated in some manner. A little bout of Giardiasis will convince even the most sceptical (or optimistic, depending on how you look at it) that untreated water is not safe to drink. The risk of ruining your - and your companions - trip is just too great. There are several ways to deal with raw creek water to make it safe to drink:
Boiling
Boiling water for several minutes will kill all bacteria and other pathogens, including giardia.
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Time: Boil for 2-3 minutes at sea level. Add 1 minute for every 300 metres of altitude.
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Taste: Boiling water removes the air trapped in the water and changes the taste. Some find this unpalatable. If this applies to you, you can revive it somewhat by adding one of the following: a pinch of salt, a Vitamin C tablet, or a few drops of lemon juice.
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Fuel: Boiling is reliable and quite foolproof; however, boiling all your water will consume considerable fuel. Remember to budget fuel for this purpose.
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Being Prepared: Before you tuck in for the night, boil enough water for drinking water the next day. Leave the water in the covered pot to cool off. Next morning, pour it into your water bottles or canteens. Leave the last few millilitres in the pot, to avoid the sediment that will have settled overnight.
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Cooling: Drinking water can be cooled by placing your water bottles in a creek or stream for 1/2 hour or so before departing on the day’s hike. Be sure to tie a cord around the neck of each water bottle and attach the cord to something sturdy on the bank.
Iodine
Iodine provides a chemical means of controlling disease-causing organisms in your drinking water. However, iodine should only be considered as an emergency measure or for infrequent use, as prolonged use poses some health risk, particularly to anyone with any history of thyroid problems. Iodine tablets/crystals are available in most places where camping supplies are sold.
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Taste: Iodine gives water a somewhat unpleasant taste. If you plan to use it, consider buying a companion product that serves to remove the taste of the iodine. If you only plan to use it in an emergency, you probably will be willing to Alive" (pun intended) with the taste.
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Usage: Follow the instructions on the container. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these instructions beforehand, however, since moisture and friction have a nasty habit of obliterating the instructions on the bottle over time. Usually one tablet will treat one litre of water. The water must then be allowed to stand for some period of time (1/2 hour) before drinking to allow the iodine to have its desired effect.
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Storage: Iodine tablets should be part of a standard survival kit. This survival kit can be stored in a small fanny pack and worn any time you are not wearing your backpack and leave the campsite or group for any reason (even to go to the bathroom!) Remember, people don’t plan to get lost! While on the trail, the fanny pack can be stored inside your backpack.
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Purchasing: Iodine tablets are quite expensive ($6 a bottle). Consider buying one bottle among a number of friends and sharing its contents. A few tablets should be enough to carry you through any emergency you encounter. If you do this, make sure that everyone gets a copy of the instructions. Once a container is opened, iodine pills begin to break down and lose their effectiveness. Replace your unused stock every two years.
Water Filters
Water filters provide one of the most convenient ways to treat water on the trail. They are, however, somewhat expensive ($75 to $300). This makes them a purchase for the very dedicated backpacker, or a group investment. Most of us can buy a lot of fuel (for boiling) for $150! Here are some considerations of filtering:
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If you decide to purchase a water filter, be sure that its filter is fine enough to remove all disease-causing organisms. The better filters will take out all particulate matter down to the size of 0.2 microns. That’s small. Beware of cheaper filters; make sure they will do the job, or they may do nothing but give you a false sense of security.
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Before you purchase, learn the difference between water filters and water purifiers. Purifiers not only filter the water, but also treat it chemically. Filters do not remove viruses; purifiers kill viruses.
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- Since water filters do clog up over time, prolong the life of your filter by using unfiltered water for all your cooking. It will be boiled anyway.
Water Purifiers
Water purifiers combine the water filtering technology with some form of chemical treatment to deal with a larger array of pathogens.
Oxidant Treatments
Oxidant treatments are one of the newest technologies for water treatment. They works like mini versions of a municipal water treatment system. First, untreated fresh water and salt are combined to create a brine solution. Then when a small charge of electricity is passed through the salt water, the patented technology creates a chemical reaction, producing a small and powerful dose of mixed oxidants (Miox). This cocktail of oxidants is then poured into the untreated water to kill the pathogens. The result is purified drinking water.
