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Water Treatment Question


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Home Forums General Forums Food, Hydration, and Nutrition Water Treatment Question

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  • #1273511
    Randy Martin
    BPL Member

    @randalmartin

    Locale: Colorado

    I am planning to use Katadyn Micropur tablets to purify water in 1 liter bottles. The question is if I dip bottles in a stream, drop the tablet in the bottle and dry off the bottle with a towel, would any pathogens that get were dried off by the towel die in a few hours or do I risk contamination by drinking from the bottle (i.e., lips on bottle submerged in contaminated water but dried off and having waited a few hours)

    #1734471
    Randy Martin
    BPL Member

    @randalmartin

    Locale: Colorado

    Bump

    #1734738
    Chris Jones
    BPL Member

    @nightmarcher

    Waterborne pathogens die when they dry out.

    There is a technique to treating water in, say, a Nalgene bottle. After the treatment cycle (3-4 hours or more, depending on treatment option, water temp, etc.), invert the water bottle, unscrew the cap, and let some water flow (trickle) out. This (I believe) flushes out any pathogens that weren't in the bottle proper, but hanging around on the outside in the thread grooves (where your lips would touch when you take a swig)…

    #1737375
    Cassie Thomas
    BPL Member

    @kesugi

    Locale: Anchorage

    Protozoa such as Cryptosporidia and Giardia have protective cysts — they remain viable even after being exposed to air for a while. The inverted rinse method works best if you are using bleach or chlorine dioxide to treat your water. With other treatments you are likely just mechanically washing down the bottle threads. Some people carry a small plastic cup to dip water out of the stream with, pouring it carefully into the treatment container so as not to splash. This also has the advantage of letting you skim the water surface, which can be quite important when using highly turbid sources like glacial streams and lakes.

    #1738050
    Randy Martin
    BPL Member

    @randalmartin

    Locale: Colorado

    So for washing hair/body do you bother with water treatment or just use the water directly?

    #1738191
    Eric Blumensaadt
    BPL Member

    @danepacker

    Locale: Mojave Desert

    Depends. Are you using a cattle trough or stream frequented by cattle? Perhaps not in that case. In most situations it's OK as long as you don't ingest the water.

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