Bushwalk Australia

Heya - I'm interested in getting some advice regarding water purification options that DO NOT involve filters or a Steripen. I'm an accomplished long distance hiker however much of that experience has been in the US and New Zealand, and I've always used Aquamira Solution (Chlorine Dioxide) and never had a single problem. I've heard different things regarding the Chlorine Dioxide tablets -vs- solution, wait times, etc...and I'm now second guessing using Aquamira Solution along the Six Foot Track where I plan on filling up at Alum Creek / Little River, I'm guessing those ground sources might be exposed to livestock?

In the past I've used bleach, iodine with vit C, and Aquamira, the latter being the easiest and best tasting by far, but perhaps not as effective? For those in the know - what do you use and why?

I recently researched this topic in preparation for trekking overseas. The gist of what I found is that the chlorine dioxide based treatments are largely superior to iodine because A: taste and B: iodine can't kill eg. cryptosporidium. I didn't read any information comparing tablets vs solution.

I bought some Micropur tablets - the wait times suggested are:

Wait time is as follows: 15 minutes for Viruses and Bacteria in all water, 30 minutes for Crypto and Giardia in normal water (60ºF, clear water), and 4 hours for Crypto in worst case water (39º F, very dirty, slightly acidic water, i.e. the kind you'd want to double pump with a purifier)

What exactly is Crypto? Is if the same as Protozoa?

Cryptosporidium is a single cell organism with a nucleus (unlike bacteria). It's a protozoan. It's like Giardia in that it has a cyst form, which is harder to kill.

The Micropur (chlorine dioxide) label recommends a 4 hour wait for disinfecting Cryptosporidium. Their literature also says that in ideal conditions (clear water at 20°C/68°F) it takes 30 minutes to achieve an acceptable level of disinfection. Most likely you'll have water that isn't at room temperature and possibly not crystal clear. A rough guide is that each 10°C decrease in temperature requires 2-3 times the wait (or increase in concentration of chlorine dioxide) to achieve the same level of inactivation. So clear 5°C water might require 90-150 minutes. Somewhere I read that Katydyn claimed 120 minutes is required for "clear, cold" water.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in the U.S.) rates chlorine dioxide as "low to moderate" in effectiveness against Cryptosporidium for backcountry disinfection.

Given the available chemical treatment options chlorine dioxide is the best choice for dealing with Crypto. That said, if I were worried about Crypto in the water I think I'd buy a filter just for that one trip. They're relatively inexpensive and lightweight nowadays. Otherwise I'd double the chlorine dioxide dose and wait as long as I could before drinking.

Good luck!

jimmeyer176 wrote:... I'm now second guessing using Aquamira Solution along the Six Foot Track ...

For the Six Foot Track, boiling over a campfire is the usual method of water purification.

Why the aversion to filtering / UV?

You filter water for 3000 kms and it gets old, or at least it did for me. Plus, filters break, clog and rot, finally...they're slow and labour intensive.

For a trip use one drop of bleach per litre of water.

flywire wrote:For a trip use one drop of bleach per litre of water.

Wouldn't it be easier to add a little bit of sugar instead?

No bleach for me...been there done that

I'll stick with the Chlorine Dioxide solution and double up on concentration / time if I'm unsure. Cheers

jimmeyer176 wrote:No bleach for me...been there done that
I'll stick with the Chlorine Dioxide solution and double up on concentration / time if I'm unsure. Cheers

I'm ready to give the steripen the flick. How about sharing your experience and what you carry now.

I've been using Aquamira solution exclusively since 2006, it's chlorine dioxide, and depending on what government body you listen to, kills bacteria only or kills everything. Aquamira is huge is the US long-distance hiking scene, and I've got about 2000kms using this stuff with no issues.

This is not sold in Australia however I found Chlorine dioxide treatment at Paddy Pallin under a different brand.

http://www.aquamira.com/product/aquamir ... ent-drops/

I've travelled for months using a Steripen, and boiling water as the backup I had to rely on. My interest in alternatives is part of the ongoing search to reduce weight.

I assume that people are using twigs/coarse grass/dung to boil water. Assuming you pass step one (ie you can light a fire) all the required equipment is probably being carried. I like to travel fast and light so It is inconvenient for me to find the time to boil water. I drink more hot water than I'd prefer and end up transferring water that is too hot to plastic containers so I can boil some more. (My cooking kit is a mug and spoon, and I carry water in a 1.5l orange juice container - all easily replaceable in remote areas.)

I settled on a Steripen classic for multi month trips in remote areas because it will run on rechargeable batteries and I don't enjoy boiling water. Water can be treated and used quickly and the batteries have enough charge for most trips so quantity is essentially unlimited. Treating water is a chore for more than two in a party. For turbid water you are probably back to boiled water and it won't take out chemicals like an activated carbon filter. Relying on a piece of technology with a glass tube which you can't replace is a big risk. Mine has never failed but I know of trips where it has. The weight is largely offset by the need to carry less water. I'd be more open now to carrying a lighter weight Steripen with a supply of cell batteries. It is well suited to my style of travel but I'd like to lose the weight.

SODIS (using the UV light of the sun to treat water in a pet bottle) is a simple idea but it is not suitable for my type of travel.

jimmeyer176 wrote:No bleach for me...been there done that ... Cheers

The idea of a small plastic eyedropper with chemical appeals to me. I don't like the idea of ingesting chemical much but we are immersed in them and for trips I'm prepared to put up with it. What's the experience with the bleach and chlorine dioxide?

To me chlorine dioxide is basically like using bleach except you must first mix the two parts, that takes about 15 seconds to do, then wait 5-7 mins, treat water, then ready to go in 15-20 mins, longer for Crypto

Bleach I was always told (and used) 1 drop per litre and waited 30 mins, I also rarely treat 'spring' water, I only treat ground water.