More on water filtration

[10-K]

I ran across this and wanted to share it: http://andrewskurka.com/advice/recommendations/waterpurification.php

About halfway down is what got my attention - the part written by a Vermont surface water biologist (who knew there was such a title?).

[Hikes in Rain]

Me. Well, Florida ones, at least. I have several working for me.

He's got some good points. I'm pretty paranoid about treating water, but really, all I treat for for the most part is microbes. Simple disinfection, not purification by any means.

[Snowleopard]

Interesting. I do know that the Worcester, Mass. city water had cryptosporidium. You really wouldn't have guessed a problem looking at the water supply. Animals were more likely the source than people.

I guess the choices to meet the surface water biologists criteria would be either:
boiling,
a filter with an iodine resin (there used to be several of these, now I don't know),
a filter to remove bacteria, giardia and crypto, followed by a chemical treatment for viruses (I think bleach works for viruses, but you'd need to research the amount),
Sawyer does make a filter that filters out viruses (.01 micron filter) -- it's heavy and needs to be kept primed,
UV treatment (steripen).

Another data point is that a large percentage of AT thru hikers get diarrheal illnesses, probably from water or other poor sanitation practices (this is from a book on thru hikers, but I forget the reference).

I just bought a steripen.

[10-K]

So... I wonder if you can somehow build up an immunity of sorts against these organisms?

Kind of like when you go to a country and are advised not to drink the water but the locals drink it with no problem.

[Hikes in Rain]

Good point. And in my best professional judgment: I dunno. I do know that people build up immunities, but honestly, with degrees in medical technology and environmental engineering, I really don't understand how some folks can drink the water with impunity, and others just can't.

Sadly, I've always been in the "can't" camp. I've gotten sick drinking the local municipal water. Shee.....

[mweinstone]

So... I wonder if you can somehow build up an immunity of sorts against these organisms?

Kind of like when you go to a country and are advised not to drink the water but the locals drink it with no problem.

yes. very simply.heres how. stop putting only sterile things in your mouth. if you and i were given bad water, i would get less sick. or not at all. you would get some amount of sick and possibly very. thats due to my lifelong habits of not disallowing certian things that trigger, and in other cases, build, imunes. those things when consumed regularly create resistance to them. such practices as:

not washing fruit and vegatables
not listening to facts concerning what is good and bad for you blindly
picking up what you drop on the floor or ground and eating it
shareing food and drink and germs with all people without fear or washing
living in the winter without heat or below 55 degrees
be awake at dawn and beginning each day
never filter water but for cloreene in citys

i could go on. my point is, im ten times less sensitive to germs in my gut, skin and cells. i have not been to a doctor since i was 17 in the marines. nor have i needed one.i can drink bad water and get a rumble but not sick. water truly filthy. i have never used work gloves . ive cleaned rat poo and fecses since i was a kid proffessionaly. ive splattered doyle juice and rat crap in my eyes and mouth many many times without worry. im simply well adapted to the germs around me and make it a serious life pursuit to be so. i take my need for germs very seriously. being to sterile and clean is very dangerouse.i use soap about every 3rd bath. any lessining of the terrible load of germ reduceing standards we live by will positivly effect us all.

[mweinstone]

to simplify further....nature is perfect.

you go around mopping it up and polishing it and becomming its caretaker,...and it dulls and looses its luster.

if you leave it alone and dont trim it or move it around, it would kill you and overtake everything

but both of those senarios are due to our wrongness

we missed our chance to live within nature. we climbed on top and sadeled and brideled her. and we drive her hard each day and night and into the ground sooner rather than later. our need now is for other planets. it maby didnt have to be this smokey and loud you do know dont you?