Water - Treatment System

In wildness you have to treat the water, doesn't matter how pure the water looks, there is: protozoan cysts, bacteria and viruses that are invisible to the human eye. If you don't treat the water you can get some infection which can last for weeks, the immediate symptoms are: diarrhea, cramps, vomiting and fever.
The water is cleaner at higher elevations.

Here are some water treatment system to choose from:

1.    Boiling

-    effectiveness: if water is boiled for at least 1 minute will destroy : protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: require to much time so we recommend to use it as a last resort
-    quality of taste: the taste is unchanged

2.    Pump filters and purifiers

-    effectiveness: filters destroy: protozoa and bacteria, purifiers destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: filters and purifiers have a good speed, you can have an output from 1 to 2 liter per minute
-    size and weight: diameter range from 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm), length range from 6 to 20 inches (15 to 50 cm) and weight range from 8 to 16 ounces (227 to 454 g)
-    pore size: range from 0.2 to 0.4 microns
-    use and convenience: require some physical effort but the water is instantly drinkable
-    maintenance: use filtering media which are easy to clean on field, some models are not cleanable
-    durability: range from 200 to 1,000 gallons (757 to 3785 liter)
-    quality of taste: water from filters have a natural taste and from purifiers the taste is unchanged

3.    No-pump (gravity-dependent) filters and purifiers

-    effectiveness: filters destroy: protozoa and bacteria, purifiers destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: the range of output is from 0.5 to 1.5 liters per minutes
-    size and weight: occupy the same space as standard filter and weight range from 11 to 17 ounces (312 to 482 g)
-    pore size: range from 0.2 to 0.4 microns
-    use and convenience: you have just to hang the bag and that's it
-    maintenance: use filtering media which are easy to clean on field
-    durability: range from 200 to 400 gallons (757 to 1514 liter)
-    quality of taste: water from filters have a natural taste and from purifiers the taste is unchanged

4.    Squeeze bottles (with in-line filtering "straws")

-    effectiveness: filters destroy: protozoa and bacteria, purifiers destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: you squeeze and drink, is very fast but have a small quantity
-    size and weight: when are empty have like 12 inches (30 cm) high, max 4 inches (10 cm) diameter and max 9 ounces (255 g) weight
-    pore size: range from 0.2 to 0.4 microns
-    use and convenience: you have just to squeeze and drink
-    maintenance: you can use backwashing but is not always effective
-    durability: if you use clean and change filters have the same durability as the bottle
-    quality of taste: you can detect some chemical taste

5.    Mixed oxidant solution pen

-    effectiveness: destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: there is a wait time until you can drink the water, the time ranges from 15 minutes to 4 hours
-    size and weight: have 7 inches (18 cm) high, 1 inches (2.5 cm) diameter and weight max 4 ounces (113 g)
-    pore size: n/a
-    use and convenience: very easy but you will have some difficulties to find just the right concentration of the salt-based solution
-    maintenance: just be sure you carry extra battery
-    durability: depending on battery
-    quality of taste: you can detect some chemical taste if you done this right if not the taste is compared with swimming pool water (you can still drink it)

6.    Ultraviolet light pen, or wand

-    effectiveness: destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: expose time to UV light is 90 seconds per 32 fl.  oz.
-    size and weight: the UV lamp have 2 inches (5 cm) wide, high range from 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) and weight range from 9 to 16 ounces (255 to 454 g)
-    pore size:  n/a
-    use and convenience: agitate the water when you expose to UV light
-    maintenance: just be sure you carry extra battery
-    durability: depending on battery
-    quality of taste: the taste is unchanged

7.    Chemicals (halogens)

-    effectiveness: destroy: protozoa, bacteria and viruses
-    speed: dissolve tablets in water
-    size and weight: 1 ounces (28 g) weight and occupy minimal space
-    pore size:  n/a
-    use and convenience: just drop the tablet in water and wait to dissolve
-    maintenance: n/a
-    durability: just watch to the "use by" (in general the range is from 1 to 3 years)
-    quality of taste: change the water taste, we recommend to use some taste-neutralizing tablet to make the water taste acceptable