[Cdt-l] water treatment (New Mexico)

[Jim Boatwright]

I've been thinking of using the Steri-Pen with either Aqua Mira or 
bleach as a backup.  I've always used chemicals in the past but decided 
I would prefer drinking chemical free water this time.  I was concerned 
about using the Steri-Pen in NM, but it sounds like it will work just 
fine, especially if I supplement with Aqua Mira when the water is 
particularly cloudy.

A trick that 1/2 Ounce taught me:  Cut the top out of a 1.5 liter soda 
bottle and draw a line at 1 liter.  Use this along with the Steri-Pen to 
treat your water and then pour from this container into your other water 
bottles.  This way you eliminate the chance of getting untreated water 
on your bottle threads.

I'm glad this question was asked and appreciate the helpful responses.

--Boat

On 12/28/2011 1:06 PM, Brett wrote:
> >>So, hiking NM what would be the filter method of choice to avoid 
> clogging
> and disease?
>
> Avoiding the burger joints in town oughta help. Or isn't this a 
> discussion about arterial health?
>
> Actually, I would just carry Aqua Mira out on the trail in New Mexico. 
> Chlorine dioxide solution is safe, more effective than bleach or 
> iodine, and contains no chlorine. And avoid the dirt tanks as much as 
> possible. If forced to drink from a dirt tank, you can pre-filter it 
> through a bandana, and then give it the full 14 drops per liter of 
> A.M., waiting a good long while before drinking, and preferably 
> exposing it to direct sunlight through a clear water bottle while 
> you're waiting.
>
> Even a filter would be incapable of removing all traces of silt from 
> the worst sources. That which it did successfully remove will, at some 
> point - possibly very soon - cause that filter to fail. Unless you're 
> able to clean it. Pretty heavy, regardless.
>
> Also, I wouldn't trust a filter to actually rid the worst sources of 
> all contamination. The physical manifestation of a filter's clogging 
> and failing may be only the first obvious sign that it's been failing 
> your GI tract for some time.
>
> The Steri-Pen can be a worthwhile alternative to Aqua Mira, but with a 
> few caveats, namely it's battery-powered and otherwise fail-able 
> technology, it's likely to perform worst when you need it most (again, 
> the dirt tank water), and the UV bulb won't fit inside a standard 
> liter-sized Platypus bottle opening.
>
> - blisterfree
>
>
>
>
>
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