We are fortunate here in the USA

We can turn on a faucet and fresh, clean water comes out of the tap. Not so in most third world countries. But even here, most of us prefer to purify our water beyond what comes from the tap. Some people use the Brita Pitchers available in most department and grocery stores. In our home we use a Berkey Purification System to make sure our water is as pure as possible.

Unfortunately, the days are gone when we can take a break during our hike, and simply quench our thirst from that nearby cool running stream. I don’t pretend to be an authority on water, but when expert wilderness survivalists say it’s no longer safe to drink any wilderness water without first boiling it, I take notice. Even those who claim not all wilderness water is contaminated, also agree that even the most remote possibility of getting an infection isn’t worth the risk of not purifying your drinking water.

And what about city water after a natural disaster, such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Could you tell if the water is contaminated or not? Remember Hurricane Sandy? Their one main concern was getting drinking water, and they had no electricity to boil it. Illness from contaminated water can be life threatening when you don’t have access to a nearby medical facility.

Why is water so important?

You’ll hear me repeat this Rule of 3’s more than once in my blogs.
We can survive 3 hours without shelter – 3 days without water – 3 weeks without food.
Water is right up there with shelter and fire. It’s life or death stuff.

There are some great products out there, such as the SteriPEN, developed to help those who are traveling in third world countries have safe drinking water, without using plastic bottles. A handheld Ultraviolet water purification system, it’s now available to help those who live in third world countries to obtain safe drinking water.

But even if we’re not traveling abroad, the SteriPEN could be useful here at home, during water boil advisories, or anytime the water is suspect. I keep one handy with my home emergency supplies.

Some companies, such as LifeStraw, originally developed their product for use in natural disaster emergencies, when water is often contaminated. And now their products have become popular with backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts.

I’m partial to the LifeStraw because it’s lightweight (just 2 oz) and extremely easy to use. It requires no electrical power, batteries or replacement parts. You simply use it just like a straw, to suck water directly from the source: a stream, pond or even a puddle.

How does it work? It uses an advanced hollow fiber membrane technology that filters up to 1,000 liters (264 gallons) of water to 0.2 microns. It filters out protozoa and bacteria. It doesn’t use iodine and is BPA-free. And it meets US EPA drinking water standards.

I think you’ll agree that it’s a useful piece of equipment to have handy. I keep one in my car emergency pack. And make sure I bring it along for backpacking and camping trips.

I hope you found this information helpful.

What water purifying products have you purchased?