[pct-l] Water Purification

[crow@skylab.org (sister crow)]

Water

Water treatment comparisons 
http://www.pcta.org/plan/water_test.shtml

There didn't seem to be a correlation of sickness related to treating
water or not.  In fact, it seemed to me that people that treated their
water got sick more then the people who drank wild water.   This may be
because the wild water drinkers might have been pickier about their
water source.

I treated most of my water at first and then gradually started drinking
more and more untreated water till I almost never treated my water.   

I didn't get water from lakes, if I could help it... springs of course
would be my favorite followed by any running water.     

I used Aqua Mira as my water purification choice.   It is safe for long
term use and doesn't leave a bad taste in the water unlike iodine.   I
did have a hydration bladder with a "safe water anywhere" in-line
filter, in the beginning, but it was kind of hard to suck through and I
could never get the cap on right so I eventually dumped it.  Sometimes I
stretch my bandana over my pot and poured the water over it to filter
out any floaters.

Sometimes I had diarrhea...but not anymore then any one else and nothing
really serious.

Sometimes the water sources are very shallow so I found having a little
plastic dipping cup handing.... also a piece of foil to funnel water
from a tiny spring into my water bottle was nice to have.

Oooo I wish I was going with you.  I miss my life on the trail.

-Pat