drinking water

This topic was created by eric
[Tue 18 May, 1:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

I'm planning to visit argentine, bolivia, peru, paraguay,
equador, brazil and the amazon.
Should I take water-purification with me?
If the answer is yes, wich one(s)?
Thanks anyway,
enjoy your travel.

[There are 10 posts - the latest was added on Sat 22 May, 1:03]

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  1. yes Added by: colleen
    [Timestamp: Tue 18 May, 3:00 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Yes definetely. The cheapest and best working are iodine
    tablets, which I have used in Costa Rica and Ecuador with no
    problems. They are cheaper than filters and some filters
    don't take care of giardia. It make the water taste sucky
    though. Make sure you use one tablet in one quart of water
    and let it disove for a good half hour and splash the
    purified water areound the edge of your bottle.



  2. Bottled water! Added by: Anna
    [Timestamp: Tue 18 May, 3:05 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I's say go for bottle water if you can, if not boiled water
    (don't forget to consider altitude here - boil for 5-10
    minutes).
    Water purification doesn't kill everything, amebas for
    example.
    Good luck!



  3. Water Added by: Bob (bklinge1@san.rr.com)
    [Timestamp: Tue 18 May, 13:46 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    If trekking then yep, take a water filter with anti-bacterial
    agent. Or the iodine pills..neutralize the taste with lime
    juice or some pills come with an ascorbic acid pill. Giardia
    is something to be afraid of on the trail. In town just buy
    bottled water. Cheap and sold everywhere. I get lazy and
    often drink tap water in cities. Been years since my last
    case of dysentery. Either public water systems are improving
    or I'm getting immune.



  4. Buggies. Added by: Wayne
    [Timestamp: Tue 18 May, 14:08 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Definitely take the iodine pills with you for those times you can't get the bottled water. The iodine pills kill everything including
    giarida, giardia cysts, all bacteria, and virusses. The filters will not keep out the virus and many bacteria unless they include an
    iodinization stage. Boiling the water works if you can keep it tightly covered; as soon as you open the lid the bacterial and
    virusses invade it. The pills I use are labelled Potable Agua, available in many sporting goods and camping stores. They come
    about 50 in a very small bottle and are easy to carry. If you don't like the taste, drop in a vitamin C pill to completely neutralize
    the taste. Beware, however, that you should not use iodine for extended periods of time (>6 months); the liver doesn't like it.



  5. drink it Added by: joe
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 2:09 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I just spent 6 months traveling the loop around South
    America and I drank the tap water in most of the places and
    bottled water everywhere else. The tap water in all major
    cities is fine and throughout most of the Andes. When in
    doubt ask the locals at hostels,campgrounds etc. If they
    drink the tap water it should be ok.



  6. Purifier from havean Added by: Andrai (seapod@msn.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 6:52 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You can take iodine tablets, and you'll be safe but it
    tastes like SHIT. You can buy tablets that stabalizes the
    taste of iodine, but to much trouble and it still taste
    shitty. Water bottles are heavy to carry and boiling water
    is way to long of a process. I work in a hiking store and
    I have found that the best water purifier is from a company
    called PUR, they make different models, the one you want is
    called the hiker. IT kills germs, viruses, gardia,
    basically EVERYTHING! (99.9%) If you want proof: THE
    BACKPACKER magasine did a test with over 50 people and with
    the best filters on the market. The WINNER: THE HIKER from
    PUR. And one of the least expensive, easy maintenance,
    durable, light and fast pumping. Personnaly you will not go
    wrong with this choice! And it is a very cool article it
    tells you everything you want to know about water, viruses,
    bacteria, difference between filters and purifiers. Do
    yourself a favor and get that aticle!



  7. Purifier from havean Added by: Andrai (seapod@msn.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 6:58 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You can take iodine tablets, and you'll be safe but it
    tastes like SHIT. You can buy tablets that stabalizes the
    taste of iodine, but to much trouble and it still taste
    shitty. Water bottles are heavy to carry and boiling water
    is way to long of a process. I work in a hiking store and
    I have found that the best water purifier is from a company
    called PUR, they make different models, the one you want is
    called the hiker. IT kills germs, viruses, gardia,
    basically EVERYTHING! (99.9%) If you want proof: THE
    BACKPACKER magasine did a test with over 50 people and with
    the best filters on the market. The WINNER: THE HIKER from
    PUR. And one of the least expensive, easy maintenance,
    durable, light and fast pumping. Personnaly you will not go
    wrong with this choice! And it is a very cool article it
    tells you everything you want to know about water, viruses,
    bacteria, difference between filters and purifiers. Do
    yourself a favor and get that aticle!



  8. Purifier from havean Added by: Andrai (seapod@msn.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 6:59 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You can take iodine tablets, and you'll be safe but it
    tastes like SHIT. You can buy tablets that stabalizes the
    taste of iodine, but to much trouble and it still taste
    shitty. Water bottles are heavy to carry and boiling water
    is way to long of a process. I work in a hiking store and
    I have found that the best water purifier is from a company
    called PUR, they make different models, the one you want is
    called the hiker. IT kills germs, viruses, gardia,
    basically EVERYTHING! (99.9%) If you want proof: THE
    BACKPACKER magasine did a test with over 50 people and with
    the best filters on the market. The WINNER: THE HIKER from
    PUR. And one of the least expensive, easy maintenance,
    durable, light and fast pumping. Personnaly you will not go
    wrong with this choice! And it is a very cool article it
    tells you everything you want to know about water, viruses,
    bacteria, difference between filters and purifiers. Do
    yourself a favor and get that aticle!



  9. Iodine Added by: Fraxel
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 8:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Andrai, that PUR unit has an iodinization stage to kill the virusses; (nothing else but chlorine will kill a virus) and your water
    ends up with an iodine taste. Yes, I read the Backpacker review of water filters, too. However, they're too bulky, slow, and
    problematic. Believe me , the iodine pills work the best and, when used with vitamin C, there is no taste!



  10. d_nice Added by: d_nice
    [Timestamp: Sat 22 May, 1:03 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I was told 30 mins of boiling does the trick. I wonder if
    anyone might be able to confirm this. As for city water...
    I wouldn't trust it. All the locals I knew in Guayaquil
    did regular "cleanings" of the system to get out the
    "beechos". I have had city dwelling friend who have had
    severe infestations of worms... Most of roommates now in
    the U.S. who have all lived abroad or are foreign nationals
    all have suffered sickness due to the water... I would
    take necessary precautions in any situation. Don't let
    that scare you though...
    It becomes second nature to get cleaned water.
    d_nice




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