[JMJKD]

Nobody ever get's proper credit these days for anything....

[Dang]

Originally Posted by JMJKD

Boiling you water does not always make it safe to drink. Boiling will kill bacteria and parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium but will not get rid of chemicals, pesticides, etc, and filtering water does not always make it safe to drink either. The good filters will get rid of Chemicals but not "all" spores.

IMHO if you come upon an unknown water source filter your water,(sometimes twice if it is still cloudy) then boil to a roll for a minute at average altitudes and it should be safe to drink. Water can make or break your camp trip. Any thing to add guys?

Not to put too fine of a point on it but a good quality filter will not get rid of chemicals, it is activated charcoal that will rid the water of many chemicals and improve the taste. They have inline charcoal filters to use with your regular filter at REI and many other places kind of like this

It is the pore size of the filter that will determine what bacteria, cyst and spores can be removed a .2 micron filter will remove pretty much all the above as most of the well documented bacteria run from 1 to 3 microns (notice there is no decimal point). On a side note I have heard mention of the Frontier Emergency Filter (a straw), I would be pretty careful with it myself as it only goes to 2 microns.

In short boiling is the best way to go, but not very convenient. So if you are going to filter it pays to know about what size micron you are filtering out and if there is reason for concern in regards to viruses in your area.

I am including a link some information from Katadyn for your reading pleasure...
Katadyn Pocket Water Filter

Great subject!

[earth2res]

I lived in Iowa and our town's well had a problem. They said if we boiled the water it would make it worse. I do not remember what was wrong with the well though.

[crashdive123]

Originally Posted by earth2res

I lived in Iowa and our town's well had a problem. They said if we boiled the water it would make it worse. I do not remember what was wrong with the well though.

I know you said you don't remember, but I wonder if it could have been some sort of chemical contamination. Don't see how boiling would make that worse, but it wouldn't help.

[trainedtosave]

Originally Posted by JMJKD

There are a few good ones. right now I use the Aquamira 50 gallon military pro- frontier.

Some of the other guys will offer a few good ones that they use perhaps.

That filter won't remove chemicals. The only way is through distillation, and even then, if some of the chemicals are close to the boiling point of water, you are screwed. I was a Chemistry major before I changed to Geology.

Here are the only ways to remove chemicals:

Distillation(as long as they aren't near the boiling point of water, probably +/- 5 degrees C)

Putting more chemicals in that will react with what is in the water(you don't know what is in there, so this is pointless)

Having a water filter small enough to filter out chemical molecules(most are much smaller than the pores in a water filter)

Since the Aquamira does not have small enough pores, or contains a chemical to react, I call BS on the company's claim.

[shadowwodahs]

With the LIFESAVER bottle there is no time wasted filtering water at the point of collection or waiting for chemicals to work. Simply ‘Scoop and Go’. Just give it a few pumps and that’s it, as soon as you open the teat clean drinking water begins to flow. See it here;
LIFESAVER BOTTLE USA

[Ron Fontaine]

Originally Posted by kevin

Ron I knew this about boiling water, but what I didn't know was that it was first heard here. cool! do you get proper credit for it?

Over the years the "boil water for ten minutes" myth (as well as the "you need to boil water longer at high altitudes" myth) had entrenched itself by constantly being repeated in literature and the internet.

Most health organizations simply perpetuated the myths instead of researching it for themselves.

Imagine the amount of precious fuel resources that have been wasted - from backpackers using limited fuel supplies for heating water to 3rd world countries cutting down forests for firewood.

When I wrote the article it received alot of flak. But the truth wins out eventually.

Last year I noticed Bear Grylls mentioning on an episode that once water reaches the boiling point it is safe. Word is getting out :-)

[Dang]

Originally Posted by Ron Fontaine

Over the years the "boil water for ten minutes" myth (as well as the "you need to boil water longer at high altitudes" myth) had entrenched itself by constantly being repeated in literature and the internet.

Most health organizations simply perpetuated the myths instead of researching it for themselves.

Imagine the amount of precious fuel resources that have been wasted - from backpackers using limited fuel supplies for heating water to 3rd world countries cutting down forests for firewood.

When I wrote the article it received alot of flak. But the truth wins out eventually.

Last year I noticed Bear Grylls mentioning on an episode that once water reaches the boiling point it is safe. Word is getting out :-)

Yes, I have seen many mentions of your statement. How did you defend yourself against the flak, did you have the water tested?