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meeeegan
Oct 22, 2005, 2:27 PM
Post #26 of 30
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Registered: Feb 27, 2005
Posts: 31
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Wow,
So i got some really good answers and some really intnese ones. I don't know what t he water is going to be like and on my packing list, they did reccommend bringing a water filter/purifier. I don't know what I'll be dealing with, but i do know that they use "disposable" items like diapers, wipes, and so on with out having a waste management program. So where do you think that all of this stuff goes? On the ground, in the ocean, where ever they feel like putting it. So that is my main concern.
I've read about how they boil water, but some people still get sick and i don't really want my first 6 months to be spent on the toilet while i build up an immune to it.
Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I really appreciate it. climb hard for me b/c i won't be able to climb....
Meeeeegan
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meeeegan
Oct 22, 2005, 2:33 PM
Post #27 of 30
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Registered: Feb 27, 2005
Posts: 31
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[quote="meeeegan"]Wow,
So i got some really good answers and some really intense ones. I don't know what the water is going to be like and on my packing list, they did reccommend bringing a water filter/purifier. I don't know what I'll be dealing with, but i do know that they use "disposable" items like diapers, wipes, and so on with out having a waste management program. So where do you think that all of this stuff goes? On the ground, in the ocean, where ever they feel like putting it. So that is my main concern.
I've read about how they boil water, but some people still get sick and i don't really want my first 6 months to be spent on the toilet while i build up an immune to it.
Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I really appreciate it. climb hard for me b/c i won't be able to climb....
Meeeeegan
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brutusofwyde
Oct 23, 2005, 1:34 AM
Post #28 of 30
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Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
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meeeegan,
I've read over this entire thread, and my recommendation for your use would be a gravity water filter. Whatever size and cost suit your budget and your luggage restrictions, if you're purchasing before going, but the bigger the better within those limits.
I would follow that up with a post-filtration dose of sodium hypochlorite in the 1 mg/l residual range (1 ppm).
A test kit for free chlorine residual would be handy to get your chemical dosage right, after a short time you wouldn't need it unless you change source water or open a new bottle of bleach. You can get a test kit at a pool supply store. Get a healthy supply of DPD "Free chlorine residual" test tablets.
One thing to remember is that contact time with your chemical disinfectant is imperative: The longer your contact time, the lower a chemical dosage you need. Hence the "Bigger is better" recomendation for your gravity filter: you can filter a big quantity of water, then let is set with the chemical dose for... say... 8 hours. If your contact time before consuming your water can be extended to 24 hours, you could probably cut that dosage to 0.5 ppm free chlorine residual, if your water temperature is above 55-60 degrees. Sorry if this seems to be getting complex, but I think this thread has progressed beyond the point of simple answers.
Someone asked how can you "kill" viruses if they're not alive?
At this point, we're getting into the gray area of our definition of life. Viral particles are capable of reproducing in a host, they can mutate, and at that point, if it makes you sick, does it matter whether they meet our somewhat foggy definition of life?
Chlorine, Iodine, Ozone, Chlorine Dioxide (Miox) all are powerful oxidizers. They chemically react with the compounds that comprise viruses. For all intents and purposes, they kill them.
Boiling is good, but a hassle, requires lots of heat, and some critters are pretty resistant to these temperatures. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are not among them. By the time your water reaches the boiling point at sea level, Giardia is long past dead.
Giardia and Cryptosporidium ARE, however, pretty darn resistant to chemical disinfectants: they form cysts to protect themselves from the nasty environment outside the mammalian gut. Hence the recommended combination of filtration (for cyst-forming protozooans and bacteria of all makes and models) and chemical disinfection to take care of the virus bad guys.
Good luck, and Kudos to you for doing something positive in the world.
Brutus of Wyde
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meeeegan
Oct 23, 2005, 4:15 AM
Post #29 of 30
(2366 views)
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Registered: Feb 27, 2005
Posts: 31
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In reply to: Wow, So i got some really good answers and some really intnese ones. I don't know what t he water is going to be like and on my packing list, they did reccommend bringing a water filter/purifier. I don't know what I'll be dealing with, but i do know that they use "disposable" items like diapers, wipes, and so on with out having a waste management program. So where do you think that all of this stuff goes? On the ground, in the ocean, where ever they feel like putting it. So that is my main concern. I've read about how they boil water, but some people still get sick and i don't really want my first 6 months to be spent on the toilet while i build up an immune to it. Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I really appreciate it. climb hard for me b/c i won't be able to climb.... Meeeeegan |
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chrisb79
Oct 23, 2005, 6:01 AM
Post #30 of 30
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Registered: Oct 22, 2005
Posts: 14
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I'd recommend the Katadyn Hiker
Have been using one for about 6 months now, not changed the element yet despite using some very thick water from peat bogs.
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