daleske@cbdkc1.UUCP ( John Daleske ) (10/10/85)
For hikers/backpackers/survivalists/outdoors people, what way(s) do you prefer purifying your water? Of the current methods, the group of people I'm currently learning skills from uses iodine crystals in a small bottle (1 minute exposure of water to crystals to let them settle to the bottom and then pour about 10cc into one quart of water; boil five minutes [gets those harder cysts' shells to "melt" and then zaps em with the iodine]; let sit for at least 20 minutes, the longer the better; crystals good for about 1000 times or so). I've recently heard from other sources that this may not be all that safe in the long run, though one friend has used this method for some time. Of other known methods: - filtering (e.g. Katadyn 2 micron filter) Gets most microbes though does nothing about chemical pollutants. - iodine tablets Not as effective as iodine crystals (?) Not as cheap as iodine crystals - chlorine tablets - solar still one time cost, inexpensive. at most one quart a day per 3 square foot still. - distillation (e.g. wood burning still) Not "portable" - usable for home emergencies. One time cost (except fuel). What other pros and cons can other folks identify? Responses posted to the net. John Daleske ihnp4!cbosgd!cbdkc1!daleske (614) 860-4335 at Columbus AT&T Bell Labs
lowell@fluke.UUCP (Lowell Skoog) (10/12/85)
> For hikers/backpackers/survivalists/outdoors people, what way(s) do > you prefer purifying your water? My number one method is to avoid questionable water. Unfortunately, even in the Cascades, this is getting harder and harder. On a day trip, I can usually get by on a liter of water brought from home. Otherwise, I avoid drinking from all but the highest streams and lakes. I have never purified Cascade water...yet. The only time I have purified water was on a climbing trip in the Andes. We used iodine tincture, not crystals. Eight drops to a liter of water, more if the water is cloudy. Wait 30 minutes, no boiling required. This method is simple and reputedly effective. Iodine crystals make me nervous since they are poisonous. I would worry about accidentally dropping one in my water bottle. Lowell Skoog, Seattle
eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (10/15/85)
> > For hikers/backpackers/survivalists/outdoors people, what way(s) do > > you prefer purifying your water? > My number one method is to avoid questionable water. Unfortunately, even in > the Cascades, this is getting harder and harder. Two years ago, one of my climbing partners purchased a First Need filter pump system. Last year I also purchased one. They appear to be adequate, but I am uncertain whether I have given it an adequate test. Some of the claims about removing certain toxic substances seem farfetched. It is truly a sad day on earth when people have to restore to this type of high-tech to get a drink of water. We are certainly loving wilderness to death. From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers: --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,decwrl,allegra}!ames!aurora!eugene emiya@ames-vmsb
ran@ho95e.UUCP (RANeinast) (10/16/85)
>For hikers/backpackers/survivalists/outdoors people, what way(s) do >you prefer purifying your water? . . . >Of other known methods: >- filtering (e.g. Katadyn 2 micron filter) > Gets most microbes though does nothing about chemical pollutants. >John Daleske I use something called the "First Need" water purification device, made by General Ecology. From the blurb that came with it, it has a 0.4 micron filter (small enough to stop giardia), a matrix of + and - charges to capture charged particles, and a pharmaceutical grade absorber for chemicals (herbicides, etc.). The nice thing about using it is that you don't have to wait for the sterilizing chemical to act. So far I've had no trouble with its use (never gotten sick), but then again, I don't know the condition of the pre-treated water. The thing has basically two pieces: the processing unit (filter+) and a pump. When the filter+ gets full (supposedly at 600-800 pints, but I haven't gotten that far yet), you can buy a new one (or backwash the old), but can keep reusing the pump. The only (slight) problem is that you seem to need 4 hands to use it, 2 to work the pump, 1 to hold the filter+, and one to hold the water bottle. It pumps about a pint a minute, which isn't real fast (at least not while you're squatting down beside a stream), but not too bad (and a lot better than some other filters that use a gravity feed). All in all, I like it a lot and would (and am doing so, if you think about it) recommend it. -- ". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch." Robert Neinast (ihnp4!ho95b!ran) AT&T-Bell Labs