How to purify water when camping

Teach: How to purify water when camping

What to say

To make stream or lake water safe when camping, bring it to a rolling boil for one minute, or three minutes at high elevation, or use a filter or chemical treatment made for backcountry water, exactly as its instructions say. Collect from clear, moving water, let cloudy water settle or strain it first, and keep treated and untreated water separate.

What to show, in order

1. Plan your water before the trip: how much you will carry, and where you will refill.
2. Collect from clear, flowing water upstream of camps and trails, not stagnant pools.
3. Let cloudy water settle, or pour it through a clean cloth, before treating.
4. Boil: bring it to a rolling boil for one minute, or three minutes above about 6,500 feet, then let it cool covered.
5. Filter: use a filter rated for bacteria and protozoa, following its directions, and keep the dirty side away from the clean side.
6. Chemical: use tablets or drops made for drinking water, following the label's amount and wait time exactly.
7. Keep treated water in marked bottles and wash hands before eating.

When to stop and call a professional

• Diarrhea, vomiting or stomach cramps during or after a trip: see a doctor, and mention where you drank from.
• Signs of dehydration, such as confusion, very little urine or fainting: get emergency help, calling 911 if you can.
• The water may be polluted by chemicals, mining or farm runoff: do not drink it; treatment will not make it safe.

The check question

Ask: How long should water boil at low elevation? Answer: One minute at a rolling boil

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.