{"id":3231,"date":"2015-02-10T06:00:33","date_gmt":"2015-02-10T14:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=3231"},"modified":"2018-11-11T21:52:17","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T05:52:17","slug":"treated-backcountry-water-safe-drink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/treated-backcountry-water-safe-drink","title":{"rendered":"When is Treated Backcountry Water Safe to Drink?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brown, silty streams, tea-colored rivulets, even clear, ice-cold lakes\u2014any backcountry water source can serve up a cocktail of contaminants.<\/p>\n

But not everything that\u2019s present in an undeveloped water source is necessarily harmful, and only some things pose an immediate threat to your health. In fact, it\u2019s impractical and unnecessary to remove everything, all the time. So, in terms of backcountry water treatment, when is water considered safe to drink?<\/p>\n

First, what\u2019s commonly in backcountry water?<\/h4>\n

The types of contaminants that make water \u201cdirty\u201d depend a lot on that source\u2019s surrounding environment. But most contaminants can be placed into these categories:<\/p>\n

Microorganisms\u2014Simply put: tiny bugs or germs. Microbes are the primary focus of treatment devices because of their immediate and potentially serious risk to your health. The pathogenic ones include bacteria (e.g., E-coli, Salmonella), protozoa (e.g., Giardia, Crypto), and viruses (e.g., Hepatitis A, Norwalk).<\/p>\n

Sediment\/Turbidity\u2014Dirt, silt, mud, glacial flour. Sediment gives water its dirty appearance and is unpleasant to ingest. But it usually isn\u2019t harmful in small amounts.<\/p>\n

Tannins & Humics\u2014This natural organic matter (NOM) leaches into wilderness water as plants decay, staining it a tea color. They\u2019re not harmful in small quantities, but they do impart odors and a bitter taste to the water.<\/p>\n

Organic & Inorganic Chemicals\u2014Includes NOMs, but also pesticides, herbicides, and inorganic chemicals resulting from both industrial activity and natural erosion. Health risks usually arise from long-term, repeated exposure.<\/p>\n

Ordinary Salts\u2014The result of eroding natural deposits or seawater contamination, salts simply make water taste bad; though very high concentrations can dehydrate you. When exploring coastal and desert regions, avoid drinking sea and brackish waters.<\/p>\n

Metals\u2014Metals, like lead and mercury, can result from industrial contamination or natural erosion. They vary in potential health risk, but you can check with the ranger station for any local precautions before venturing out.<\/p>\n

\"Water<\/h4>\n

Photo courtesy of MSR | James Q. Martin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In terms of backcountry water treatment, what defines water that\u2019s safe to drink?<\/h4>\n

In the context of backcountry water treatment, water is usually considered safe to drink when it is free of pathogens\u2014the disease-causing microorganisms. This is because they\u2019re considered the \u201cimmediate threats.\u201d In other words, swallowing even a few of these pathogenic critters on a short-term backpacking trip can make you sick with flu-like symptoms, or worse, very rapidly.<\/p>\n

In contrast, those other non-biological contaminants, while not appetizing, typically take a much greater amount, usually from repeated, long-term exposure to build up in your system and cause you harm. If your favorite backpacking loop makes you drink repeatedly from sources with pesticide runoff\u2014that\u2019s not a good thing. But in general, backcountry zones are relatively low-risk for these types of contaminants and the trace amounts you\u2019d ingest on a typical trip likely aren\u2019t enough to agonize over.<\/p>\n

That said, it\u2019s important to assess your own risk level, and include drinking-water collection as part of your trip planning process.<\/p>\n

Are treatment devices required to prove their removal claims?<\/h4>\n

Unfortunately, the answer is no. It may surprise many to learn that there is no government-regulated testing requirement to ensure a portable water treatment device actually removes the pathogens it claims to.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean that some companies don\u2019t rigorously test their water treatment solutions. For example, MSR<\/a> voluntarily tests their products to a standard developed by the EPA and NSF. This 10-day, multi-criteria test, called NSF Protocol P231, is based off municipal water treatment requirements. It tests a product\u2019s ability to stop targeted pathogens, requiring that half the water used is so difficult to treat it\u2019s referred to as \u201cworst case\u201d water. This allows MSR to confirm the reliability of their products in real-world conditions.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, researching a water treatment product before you buy is critical to your health. In most wilderness regions, a high-quality filter or purifier can get you out and back\u2014with nothing more than stories of great adventure to share.<\/p>\n

To learn more about water treatment systems, head over the MSR Blog<\/a>\u00a0for the full story.\u00a0Source: “In Terms Of Backcountry Water Treatment, When Is Water Considered Safe to Drink?<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more about water purification:<\/p>\n