Wilderness Water Purification

With the summer recreation season fast approaching, many people are already planning their camping, hiking, and backpacking excursions. One of the most critical elements of preparing for these trips is making sure that each person brings enough water to drink. The human body can only survive three to five days without water and less than that in extreme heat. Without water, the body’s organs begin to shut down. Therefore, for shorter trips, it makes sense to carry enough water with you, but what about longer wilderness outings when that is not an option?

The answer is water purification systems. Anyone planning to camp or backpack in the wilderness for an extended time should have a way to purify water for drinking. It is strongly recommended to purify water from lakes, rivers, or streams because of the risk for ingesting waterborne pathogens that can make humans dangerously ill. These pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and protozoan cysts like E. coli, norovirus, and Giardia. Drinking water that has been contaminated with these bugs could result in severe gastrointestinal problems including vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.

The good news is that there are various methods people can use in order to make wilderness water drinkable if they come across a water source. The three most common methods used are boiling, water filters or purification pumps, and purification drops or tablets.

Boiling 

Boiling is the easiest way to purify water. Simply put water into a pot and boil it over a heat source until you see rolling bubbles. Let the water boil for about five minutes, remove the pot from the heat, let it cool, and drink. On the downside, boiling certainty takes a large amount time. It requires a metal pot of some sort and a fire, which are not always available right away.

Water Filters or Purification Pumps

Using a water filter or purification pump is a popular option for wilderness excursions. These devices are fairly easy to operate and they can be carried in a backpack or stored in a vehicle. All you do is put the water into the filter or pump and drinkable water comes out. There are even some types of water bottles that have this process already built into them so that drinkable water comes out just by sucking or squeezing it. Filters and purifiers are much faster methods than boiling water but may take up considerable room in a pack. It is also important to keep in mind the suggested life of a filter or purifier when purchasing one.

Purification Drops or Tablets 

Another method of purifying water is dropping a couple of purification tablets and drops into non-potable water. This method is simple and relatively inexpensive but the treated water will not necessarily taste the best. Some of these treatments include iodine or chlorine. The drops or tablets should treat the water for at least 20 minutes before drinking.

There are other methods for purifying water such as ultraviolet light pen purifiers and do-it-yourself filtration systems. The key, however, is to find a water purification system that works for you and take your drinking needs into consideration when preparing for wilderness outings.