Ask 5 different people how they filter their water, and you will get 5 different answers. My preferred filtration system is iodine. It’s small, cheap, and easy to use and find. We used iodine on our trek in the Anapurnas in Nepal so that we didn’t have to buy and dispose of plastic water bottles. Bleach is another relatively common method because it is so common and cheap. I have mixed feelings about this because if you use too much you can die. They do make special camping bleach purification products that you can buy online or at some camping stores, just be careful.
Iodine:
- $6.95/50 tablets
- Small and lightweight – about 1.5” tall
- Unbreakable (unless you leave the lid open)
- Simple – Put a tablet in your bottle, wait 30 minutes, *burp, drink
- Some people don’t like the taste
- Banned in Europe
*burp – To ensure the threads and lid of your bottle clean and safe to drink from, turn the bottle upside down and slowly unscrew the lid. When you see bubbles come up through the water and a small amount of water seeps out the lid, close the lid and turn upright.
MSR Filter
- $75 – $120
- No aftertaste
- Bulky
- Breakable but sturdy
- Require simple maintenance
- Timely and involved
SteriPEN
- $49.95 – $99.95
- Very quick (as low as 48 seconds)
- Takes AA batteries – can become damaged
- Small and lightweight
Bleach – Since there are a lot of differing opinions on bleach to water ratios I have decided to include two charts with links to the sites below.
| Treating water with household bleach containing 5.25-8.25 percent chlorine | |
| Volume of Water to be Treated | Bleach Solution to Add |
| 1 quart/1 liter | 5 drops |
| 1/2 gallon/2 quarts/2 liters | 10 drops |
| 1 gallon | 1/4 teaspoon |
| 5 gallons | 1 teaspoon |
| 10 gallons | 2 teaspoons |
http://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/EmergencyPreparednessandResponse/Factsheets/WaterPurification
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