Anyone here have any experience with filter bottles they liked or stories of horrible illness I should be warned about?

Sir, there is nothing wrong with technology, note it.JamesTheGiant wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:40 amWhen we went to Nepal and India we had one of these UV SteriPens. So we just drank tap water from our own bottles the whole way. Amazing things. But a bit expensive if you're just going for a short time.
Now for hiking in NZ I use a similar thing to the LifeStraw filter bottle. Good for 1000 litres on one cartridge. Cheaper than the SteriPen. You can get the filter bottles in two different grades. One stops bacteria and giardia, and the other grade stops even viruses. I don't know how you keep track of 1000 litres! I never have to worry about it going over 1000 liters because the glacial rivers here are filled with tiny particles of rock dust, which clogs the filter pretty fast. But not many glacial rivers in S.E. Asia.
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While it's clearly good do things as sustainably as possible, I would be cautious in some areas, and also not be too complacent about what boiling and filters can do. Boiling (which needs to be more than just bringing the water to the boil!) is effective in killing some bugs, but does nothing at all to a number of poisons (such as various heavy metals).Antaradhana wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:37 pmWater from wells can be drunk. If the water was doubtful, then I used an electric heater and a tin mug. If there is no access to electricity, you can boil on the fire.
In Sri Lanka, India and Thailand prevails, there is a problem in the bacterial infection, which is eliminated by boiling. The problem of contamination with heavy metals is relevant only for areas with developed industry and emissions from factories. And of course we are not talking about water from a swamp or puddle, but about water from a water supply system or a source, which the locals drink all their life without any treatment. Boiling - this is a reinsurance.mikenz66 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 7:54 pmWhile it's clearly good do things as sustainably as possible, I would be cautious in some areas, and also not be too complacent about what boiling and filters can do. Boiling (which needs to be more than just bringing the water to the boil!) is effective in killing some bugs, but does nothing at all to a number of poisons (such as various heavy metals).
I'm no expert on water quality, but if the water comes from a well there can be various contamination without factories, etc. In some cases it is due to mining, sometimes fertiliser runoff from farming, and in some cases it is completely natural. For example, in parts of Africa there is significant contamination from uranium and other heavy metals in some wells. As you say, city supplies are likely to be OK if boiled.Antaradhana wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 8:05 pmIn Sri Lanka, India and Thailand prevails, there is a problem in the bacterial infection, which is eliminated by boiling. The problem of contamination with heavy metals is relevant only for areas with developed industry and emissions from factories. And of course we are not talking about water from a swamp or puddle, but about water from a water supply system or a source, which the locals drink all their life without any treatment. Boil - this is a reinsurance.mikenz66 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 7:54 pmWhile it's clearly good do things as sustainably as possible, I would be cautious in some areas, and also not be too complacent about what boiling and filters can do. Boiling (which needs to be more than just bringing the water to the boil!) is effective in killing some bugs, but does nothing at all to a number of poisons (such as various heavy metals).
I have used this type of electic coil heater; but only to boil water for tea, and the water was already clean. The problem with trying to purify water with such a set-up is that the water boils in the mug very quickly... in a matter of a few minutes. If one then tries to keep the water boiling for a longer time it evaporates, or bubbles over the rim. Since it takes about 10 minutes of hard boiling to purify water of bacteria this does not do the job.Antaradhana wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:37 pmWater from wells can be drunk. If the water was doubtful, then I used an electric heater and a tin mug. If there is no access to electricity, you can boil on the fire.
Ten minutes is much longer than necessary according to the CDC -bazzaman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:41 amI have used this type of electic coil heater; but only to boil water for tea, and the water was already clean. The problem with trying to purify water with such a set-up is that the water boils in the mug very quickly... in a matter of a few minutes. If one then tries to keep the water boiling for a longer time it evaporates, or bubbles over the rim. Since it takes about 10 minutes of hard boiling to purify water of bacteria this does not do the job.Antaradhana wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:37 pmWater from wells can be drunk. If the water was doubtful, then I used an electric heater and a tin mug. If there is no access to electricity, you can boil on the fire.
Good to have though for making hot drinks.
That's from https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinki ... tment.html which has lots more good, authoritative advice.Boiling can be used as a pathogen reduction method that should kill all pathogens. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute. At altitudes greater than 6,562 feet (greater than 2000 meters), you should boil water for 3 minutes.
It's drinking water, not a blood transfusion apparatus. All bacteria that cause intestinal infections, at boiling will die almost instantly.bazzaman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:41 amI have used this type of electic coil heater; but only to boil water for tea, and the water was already clean. The problem with trying to purify water with such a set-up is that the water boils in the mug very quickly... in a matter of a few minutes. If one then tries to keep the water boiling for a longer time it evaporates, or bubbles over the rim. Since it takes about 10 minutes of hard boiling to purify water of bacteria this does not do the job.
Ask locals (e.g. in your hotel) where you can get filtered water. Many guesthouses, temples, etc would have a machine, which filters water, and you can fill your bottle either for free or quite cheap. Usually there are no problems with its quality. If you want to be on a safe side you can additionally boil it. I wouldn't recommend UV lamp, etc because eventually you still don't know how effective it is. If filtered water is not available I would rather choose boiling.Polar Bear wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:03 amAnyone here have any experience with filter bottles they liked or stories of horrible illness I should be warned about?
How long do you boil the water for? I was told boiling only kills the bacteria not the virus. Are there virus in the river water or the well water?Antaradhana wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:37 pmWater from wells can be drunk. If the water was doubtful, then I used an electric heater and a tin mug. If there is no access to electricity, you can boil on the fire.
Viruses live in the carrier body, or are transmitted through body fluids: pus, sputum, saliva, blood, or through the bites of infected insects. Anything that can cause an infection in drinking water is killed by boiling instantly. You can even boil water from a swamp, but you will hardly like its taste.polo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2019 11:02 amHow long do you boil the water for? I was told boiling only kills the bacteria not the virus. Are there virus in the river water or the well water?
My late brother was in Sarawak (in Borneo) he used the river water to brush his teeth he said and he got "Amoebic dysentery". He said the river water was stagnant not flowing. If it was flowing river water perhaps the chance of getting this intestinal disease would be a lot less.
He said it was pure suffering and he nearly died. He recovered but years later he died of cancer due to smoking.
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