MOUNTAINEERING INFORMATION ARTICLES

Water Purifiers - Water Purification Methods

Sometimes during a camping or hiking trip your water supply becomes depleted either by accident or by other reasons. Then at the same time, you are far from the nearest supply of clean water when that happens and the only water source you have near you is a still pool of water in the wilderness. You are desperate to drink water because you need to keep yourself well-hydrated but you are unsure if what's there is safe to drink or not. What should you do then? Other than just boiling water, there are several ways to purify it. This section is devoted to those different methods.

Boiling Water

Boiling water to kill all harmful bacteria is a simple and very effective way to purify your drinking water. When you boil the water, boil it for at least a minute and an additional 1 minute for every 1000 feet you are above sea level. However, boiling water is a time-consuming and costly solution to clean your water which renders it impractical. And for the taste-conscious, the water could taste a bit flat after it is boiled.

Using Chlorine or Iodine Tablets/Droplets

Using chlorine or iodine tablets/droplets is another cheap and convenient way to purify your water. The use of these halogens is convenient because it is light and you only need to add a tablet/droplet for a liter of water.

Note that when using chlorine or iodine in cold or cloudy water, you might want to make the standing time longer or increase the dosage. Chlorine, however, cannot kill viruses unlike iodine.

After treating the water with chlorine or iodine, they will leave an aftertaste which you can neutralize by using special tablets. But avoid using iodine for a longer period of time because it can be poisonous.

This method is useful for travelers who only need to treat water occasionally like trekkers on short treks. Iodine and chlorine tablets or droplets always come in handy as a back-up to other methods.

Using a Bottle Purifier

A bottle purifier is another effective way to purify your water. This method is very economical for long term use. It is only the same size as a normal cycle-type drinking bottle. The carbon element design removes chemicals and the aftertaste after treating them with chemicals like iodine. It can be pretty expensive, though, when compared to other water purifying methods.

A bottle purifier is practical for travelers and trekkers on longer trips, when bottled water is unobtainable, and boiling is impractical.

Microfilter

This method has a similar set of advantages as the bottle purifier. However it is not completely effective against viruses. So if you suspect the presence of viruses in your water, then the microfilter should be used in conjunction with iodine. In addition to that, it is heavier and bulkier than the bottle purifier because it contains a ceramic element that can break.

This water purification method is suitable for trekkers and backpackers on long expeditions or travels who want a long term method of water purification.

Regardless of the kind of camping or hiking trip you are going to, it is always important that you bring some sort of Water Purifier. They are more than just back up for your water supply; they also give you additional insurance that the water you collected from the wilderness is safe to drink. There's nothing worse than having to cut your trip short because of an upset stomach due to the contaminated water you drank.

Now that you are familiar with the different methods of Water Purification, you can move into the next section about Buying Water Purifiers. It outlines the things to consider when buying one to help you decide which Water Purifier best fits your needs.

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