Aquamira Water Treatment Drops

Aquamira has been my primary water treatment method for more than 20 years. I use it in all seasons, on all trip types – either as a primary (most common) or secondary/backup form of treatment. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, during my academic research career, I investigated the efficacy of various chemical treatment methods for disinfecting pathogens in biofilms attached to soil particles. Chlorine dioxide delivered in the same form as that which exists in Aquamira proved to be more effective than any other type of chlorine- or iodine-based formulation marketed to outdoor users.

Its main limitations arise in very cold winter conditions, when the solutions turn slushy if not kept warm, and freeze in the dropper tips, rendering the bottles unusable until thawing. In addition, Aquamira has some limitations on its ability to rapidly disinfect protozoan oocyst-infected water, which I commonly encounter in high-mountain sheep grazing environments of the Rocky Mountains (ID, WY, and CO). In these cases, I often combine it with another treatment method like hollow-fiber filtration.

In addition, Aquamira is ineffective for the treatment of heavy metals (which I encounter in streams adjacent to historical mining areas in CO and MT) and cyanobacteria (low elevations in CO and WY). Those cases require more advanced treatment technologies.

Otherwise, Aquamira is light, convenient, fast enough, simple, and does not impart foul taste to water when used at manufacturer-suggested dosing. In addition, it’s easy and efficacious to repackage into smaller and lighter kits and can be premixed in batches that can be used within 24 hours, which speeds up the process of treatment.

I have used Aquamira as primary and back-up water treatment for 20 years.  [Often repackage into droppers sold by BPL in the early 2000s]. Concur with Ryan observations. One other downside to add to Jordan’s which is obvious… takes time to be effective (e.g. no camel up at water source).

My standard practice today is to bring a hollow core filter which I use during the day so I can drink immediate when acquiring water. I often use Aquamira in camp for dinner / breakfast / start of the next day water when speed isn’t important and as a backup if the case my filter either clogs or is damaged.

I have tried UV for part of two seasons but had reliability issues, and Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets which are easier to use that aquamira but cost more than than aquamira, and require more volume on a extended trips.

I switched from Sawyer squeezes to Aquamira 2 years ago and am v. satisfied with the method and will continue to use going forward. Everything Ryan & Mark wrote = same, incl. pre-mixing for the day (or so). I have not found waiting the 15 min before drinking to be a problem. What IS a bit dicey is mixing in the field w/o a table-like surface, balancing the tiny bottles with their tiny screw tops on my tiny knee & tiny rocks. That maneuver requires riveted mindfulness – but hey, where’s the problem here? After looking into it online, I do generally mix at lower concentration than the manufacturer recommends with clear water, w no issue so far. If pre-mixing for the day, I recommend mixing more than you will need as evaporation occurs, esp. at elevation.