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(More customer reviews)The EPA estimates that 90% of the world's fresh water is contaminated and unsuitable for drinking. The days of kneeling down on a hike and sipping from the stream are long gone. Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because water looks clear or tastes good that it is free of contaminants. That includes frozen water, which can house hepatitis A, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium for months.
There are many options for purifying the water, but this post will compare commercial products that rely on halogen chemical treatments.
Polar Pure - contains iodine crystals, has an almost indefinite shelf life if kept tightly sealed, and very inexpensive per dose cost, requires measuring the dosage using the cap (which can be imprecise).
Potable Aqua - contains iodine tablets, shelf life of up to four years if properly stored - if they've turned a light green don't use, moderately expensive per dose cost, easy to administer doses (two tablets per quart of water).
Micropur MP1 - contains chlorine dioxide tablets, has a shelf life of at least four years, moderately expensive per dose cost, and comes in easy to administer doses (one tablet per quart of water).
Simple household bleach - 2 drops per quart of water (assuming a a bleach solution of 5-6% hypochlorite), may wish to double the dose for cloudy water, shelf life of bleach is only about 6 months, must use a dropper to administer dose, very inexpensive per dose cost.
Tincture of iodine - 5 drops per quart (assuming a 2% iodine solution), may wish to double the dose for cloudy water, almost indefinite shelf life if properly stored, must use a dropper to administer dose, modest per dose cost.
All of the methods are effective at killing bacteria, somewhat effective against viruses, and of limited value against protozoa cysts. Cryptosporidium in particular is resistant to halogen treatments.
Most treatments only require 30 minutes. However, very cold water (i.e., less than 40 degrees F) should be allowed to sit for 2 or more hours, or be treated with a double dose.
As far as taste, all will introduce some chemical taste into the water. In a very unscientific taste test of chemical treatment methods, my own family concluded that iodine-treated water was by far the worst smelling and tasting, bleach-treated was second, and water treated with Micropur MP1 ready-to-use tablets was the least objectionable.
Finally, you can add Kool-aid to treated water to help the taste. Not only will it help to mask the chemical taste, but the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) converts the chlorine or iodine to tasteless chloride and iodide.
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Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family."
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Polar Pure Water Disinfectant With Iodine CrystalsWhether you're traveling in unfamiliar countries, camping in the great outdoors, or just want to be prepared in case of emergency, the Polar Pure water disinfectant is a space-efficient, reliable choice. Polar Pure uses a unique bottle design to deploy pure crystallized iodine into contaminated water. This iodine destroys waterborne pathogens, including the Giardia cysts and microorganisms (viruses) that normally pass through filters. All you have to do is simply add water to your Polar Pure bottle--which features a particle trap to prevent the loss of iodine crystals--and you will create a saturated solution to disinfect your water. The water cap then acts as the measuring cup, dispersing the required amount of Polar Pure to disinfect each quart/liter bottle of water.
Polar Pure offers several advantages over other water-disinfectant methods. It's far more portable than carrying household chlorine bleach, which is often available only in a dilute solution when traveling in many parts of the world. It's more convenient than bringing along enough fuel to boil water every time you want a drink, especially at altitude. And unlike most water filters, Polar Pure doesn't get clogged over time. In fact, a single bottle of Polar Pure treats up to 2,000 quarts of water. Other advantages: Polar Pure doesn't deteriorate in extreme temperatures, it has an indefinite shelf life, and it's small and light enough for backpacking or traveling.
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