[at-l] Water treatment advice needed

[Ken Bennett]

I suspect that the concentration of chlorine dioxide in municipal water is
much lower than when using AM in the backcountry. I would certainly want to
talk to my doctor/OB about water treatment in this particular case.

We have the MSR filter, used it for years, and switched to the Pur Hiker
(now called the Katadyn Hiker??). It's lighter -- 11 oz versus 17 oz., plus
it's faster to pump. It just made sense for family hiking. The only drawback
over the MSR filter is the outlet hose -- you need to be careful not to let
it cross-contaminate. Also, you can't clean the filter cartridge, but then
it doesn't need constant cleaning.

When I go solo, I use Aqua Mira just for the weight savings, but the filter
is great when hiking with a family. And it's easy enough that my daughter
could use it when she was ten years old.

--Ken





On 12/1/06, Mara Factor <m_factor at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Victoria,
>
> It ws my understanding that the chemicals in Aqua Mira were the same ones
> used by municipal water treatment facilities.  I would be surprised if
> such
> facilities could get away with using any treatments that could be a
> problem
> for pregnant women or their fetuses.
>
> Other than chemicals and filters, there is one more option you may want to
> try.  Look into the MSR MIOX ozone purifier.  It uses energy (batteries)
> and
> salt to produce ozone to treat your water.
>
> I've got a chart of treatment options on my web site at:
>
> http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor/watertreat.html
>
> Best of luck,
>
> Mara
> Stitches, AT99
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Visit my Travels and Trails web site at:
>
> http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
>
> >From: Victoria R <rose_undine at yahoo.com>
> >Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 11:44:08 -0800 (PST)
> >
> >Hi again.  I've gotten almost everything in line for my hike next year,
> but
> >I'm still debating about water treatment, so I need some advice.  I had
> >been using a filter, and like it, but it's rather big and heavy (MSR
> >Miniworks EX).  I had almost decided to switch to Aqua Mira, but here's
> my
> >dilemma:  I need to use something that is safe for a fetus, but AM isn't.
> >None of the iodine-based treatments seem to be, either.
> >
> >So, with the possible safety risks, should I just take the filter anyway?
> >Is there another alternative?
>
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-- 
Ken Bennett
University Photographer
Office of Creative Services
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC 27109
336.758.6009
Visit Wake Forest on-line: www.wfu.edu

"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we
are for what we could become." -- Charles Du Bois