[pct-l] Water treatment question for the PCT community

[Judith G]

>  AquaMira worked fine, but I really didn't like having to wait  
> until the two parts mixed before adding it
> to the water.

There is a product called KlearWater which is stabilized chlorine  
dioxide ... i.e., both of the two parts of AquaMira already mixed  
together ... so you don't have to mix and wait, just add the amount  
of KlearWater to your water bottle and give it time to work (just as  
you do with AquaMira).  KlearWater may be more expensive and have a  
shorter "shelf life" than AquaMira, but it did "keep" all summer when  
I last used it.  I purchased it at BackpackingLight.com.

> After finding out that AquaMira is essentially bleach with an
> addititive to reduce treatment aftertaste, I switched to bleach.

Actually AquaMira is NOT bleach (chlorine) at all, it is chlorine  
dioxide.  Chlorine dioxide is a water sanitizer that works via  
oxygenation ... not through the chlorine itself.  The chlorine just  
passes out of the water as a gas, it is only there as a carrier for  
the dioxide, which is what sanitizes the water.  There are numerous  
articles available online that explain how chlorine dioxide works.  I  
swear by AquaMira (and now KlearWater), but ... I would never use  
bleach in my water personally.  This is not a criticism of anyone who  
does ... it's all just personal choice ... but what I mean is that if  
AquaMira WERE the same as chlorine bleach, I would not use it.

YMMV

Two Legs