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Backcountry Water Treatment

Drinking water directly from streams or lakes in the backcountry can expose you to some nasty little organisms.
Protozoa, bacteria and iruses can make you ery sick and some are difficult to cure. There are about !"" cases
of giardia reported eery year in Washington state, and this is especially sad because it is easy to preent. This
article will summarize water treatment methods suitable for the backcountry, but which can also be used by
traellers or in emergency situations at home when water #uality is in #uestion.
Boiling water kills most disease$causing organisms including iruses. %f the water is cloudy, allow to settle and
filter through clean cloth, then draw off clear water to boil. The &nironmental Protection 'gency (&P')
recommends to Boil water for one minute, let it cool, then store in clean containers with coers. *ontrary to
popular belief, you don+t need to boil water longer, een at high altitudes. Boiling re#uires fuel, but is great
where you are already heating water for cooking.
,ousehold chlorine li#uid bleach is an excellent way to purify water. %t is better than iodine, because after
killing the bugs, it breaks down into -ust salt and water. The correct dosage is two drops of regular Clorox
bleach per quart, or eight drops per gallon. .et stand /" minutes before drinking and double the dosage if
water is cloudy. &ight drops e#uals 012
th
teaspoon. The smell of chlorine is not bad3 it indicates that water is
treated and germ free, and the smell will go away in a few days. The problem with bleach is shelf life 4 li#uid
bleach breaks down noticeably in -ust six months, so be sure it is fresh. Do not use non$chlorine bleach to
disinfect water, use only regular *lorox or other bleach with !$56 aailable chlorine.
%odine has been popular with outdoorsmen for decades, despite it7s problems. Tablets are small and easy to use,
and li#uid iodine seres dual purpose as a wound disinfectant. Problem is, many people deelop an allergy to it,
and it remains chemically actie in your body killing good cells and bacteria as well. %odine is not
recommended for long$term use or for pregnant women. %f you decide to use iodine, the dose is five drops of
standard 2% tincture of iodine to each quart of clear water, or 20 drops per gallon. 8ix well and let water
stand /" minutes before use. Be aware that iodine is broken down by light, so store in the dark.
9ilters come in many arieties and are effectie at treating water in :orth 'merican wilderness where iruses
are rare. 'dditional purification is re#uired for iruses found oerseas and in urban areas, which are too small
to be filtered out. 9ilters can be pumped or use graity flow. They can be as small as a soda straw where you
suck water directly from the source, or large to proide for an entire group of people. % hae used the classic
pump filter for years and find it reliable, though somewhat heay and bulky. ;ilty water will clog filter
elements, re#uiring fre#uent cleaning or replacement. :ew filter types appear often and some are ery
lightweight, long lasting and easy to use. Where iruses and silt are not an issue, filters can be an excellent
choice.
<ltraiolet .ight has been used for municipal water treatment for years, but small units for backpacking are
relatiely new. <ltraiolet .ight (<=) neutralizes all microorganisms including iruses, so is great for oerseas
traellers. % purchased one of these units (the ;teriP&: <ltra), used it for seeral trips this summer and am
ery impressed by how small, lightweight (! ounces) and easy to use it is. The rechargeable battery treats !"
#uarts of water on a charge. >ou fill water bottles directly from a stream or lake, then treat them by inserting
the light into the water for ?" seconds, stirring gently until the built$in timer is done. >ou can drink
immediately 4 no waiting, no chlorine taste, no worries. *ost is around @0"", which works out to ! cents per
gallon oer it7s expected life of about A""" gallons. This unit will replace my pump filter.
Bther 8ethods include specialty filters and chemical treatments aailable at outdoor stores, but not listed here.
<se these according to their instructions and stay healthyC

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