How To Purify And Treat Water While Camping

Purify and Treat Water While Camping

When visiting places with unknown water quality – whether you are camping in a remote area, hiking, or moving to a new location – it is essential to find out if the water is suitable for your consumption before using it. This is because drinking unhealthy water can expose your loved ones to various diseases. So if you want to drink high-quality water, you have to purify and treat it.

Accordingly, the water should purify and treat while camping. That is, there are many ways to purify water. But here are a few of them. Accordingly, water purification methods are called Boiling, Distillation, Purification tablets, Carrying water filters, and UV rays treatment. Boiling water, disinfection, filtration, and ultraviolet light are among the most important water purification methods.

However, whether you are planning a favorite camping trip or exploring unidentified trails, something unexpected may happen and you may find yourself stranded in the jungle. In such a case, hydration will become a key survival technology. Accordingly, the water should be purified and treated during camping. Here’s how to do it. Undoubtedly it will help you a lot.

How to purify water when camping

How to purify water when camping

Let us first understand the difference between the processes of water filtration and purification. Thus, water filtration is the process of removing contaminants from water, while water purification is the process of making water safe to drink.

Therefore, water filtration can be done using physical barriers, biological and chemical processes. Filtering the water removes dark, many bacteria and microorganisms from the fruit. However, water that looks clean is not always safe to drink.

It may contain harmful microorganisms and chemical pollutants that have not yet been removed by filtration alone. But water purification involves the use of chemicals such as chlorine or iodine to remove all harmful components, such as water, biological contaminants, viruses, and chemicals. Note that water filtration cleaning should be followed to obtain completely safe drinking water.

Accordingly, the most important thing for you when camping is to purify the water. Because you need safer and cleaner water to drink at your camping site. Or your family or campers may have to deal with a variety of illnesses. So it is very important that you are aware of this.

Accordingly, the following are some of the easy technical methods of water purification.

Boiling

Boiling

Boiling is the oldest and most basic method of making water drinkable. Boiling water removes many harmful pathogens. When you are at sea level add a little water and boil for 1 minute. However, at higher altitudes, it takes longer to reach higher temperatures, as atmospheric pressure is lower. At an average altitude of 6500 feet or more, boiling water for 3 minutes purifies the water from any harmful pathogens and makes it safe to drink.

Distillation

Distillation

Water distillation proves to be more effective than boiling, and you can be assured of safe and clean water. Distillation can make a big difference in hot or humid climates where temperatures are generally high. Dirty water can contain many salts and harmful chemical elements that can cause serious health problems.

The distillation process is very simple to perform. You will need a large container to hold the water for cleaning, a small container to collect the clean water, a plastic bag, and a rock. Proceed by digging a hole and placing the large container in it. Place the small container in the center of the large container and cover the hole with plastic and seal any openings. 

Finally, place the rock in the center of the plastic, creating a depression just above the small container. This is the natural way of using physics. The heat trapped inside causes the water to evaporate. Water vapor condenses on plastic to form water droplets. Due to the depression, the water will be directed to the small vessel. The water collected in the small container will be safe to drink.

Purification tablets

Purification tablets

An easy-to-use, effective tablet is the easiest and most effective way to get portable water. Usually, one tablet purifies 25 liters of water. Powerful tablets can purify up to 70 liters of dirty water for a large group. It takes about 30 minutes to completely remove parasites from the water before drinking a tablet.

Parasites like Cryptosporidium, which are usually present in dirty water, can cause a severe upset of your stomach and you may suffer from a persistent cough. Water purification tablets can be based on iodine or chlorine dioxide. 

Iodine tablets fail to remove Cryptosporidium because they are much weaker than chlorine dioxide tablets. Chlorine dioxide tablets solve this problem for you by destroying various parasites. That said, you will have to wait 4 hours before the water is completely clean and safe to drink.

Carrying water filters

Carrying water filters

When you are on the road, the best way is to carry a light water filter. Water filters can purify water with a specially designed filtration system that removes parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia that cause serious health problems. A squeeze water filter can be your traveling friend. 

It is lightweight and can be packed in a sack. You can drink water directly from a pond or canal, or store dirty water in a bottle attached to a zipper containing a filtration mechanism. A pump water filter works on the same technology, but instead of drinking water, you have to pump water through a filter using a pump. 

For large groups of water filters, a gravity water filter would be a good choice. Gravity filters work on the concepts of gravity. The water is collected in a container fitted to a filtration mechanism. This unfiltered water passes through filters and flows downstream as it collects in a container below. The added water is free from any impurities and is safe to drink.

UV rays treatment

UV rays treatment

This may be the easiest way to purify water naturally. All you have to do is fill a plastic or glass bottle with filtered water, remove any labels and keep the bottle in the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays destroy all the harmful parasites that save clean water. Depending on the weather, keeping the bottle for 4 hours on a sunny day and longer on a cloudy day will definitely do the job.

How to treat water when camping

There are many ways you can treat or clean contaminated water when you are outdoors or traveling. Here are some of them to keep you informed.

How to treat water when camping

Boiling Water

It is a permanent means of destroying disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Bring the water to a full boil for 1 minute (at altitudes above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes), then allow to cool before use. 

If boiling is not possible, use tap water that is too hot to touch, which can be between 131 F (55 ° C) and 140 F (60 C). If the water is kept warm for some time, this temperature may be sufficient to destroy the pathogens. Also, for travelers with access to electricity, bring a small electric heating coil or a soft drink heater to heat the water. 

Disinfection

Water sterilized with iodine is not recommended for continuous use by pregnant women, people with thyroid problems, people with hypersensitivity to iodine, or more than a few weeks at a time. 

If your water cannot be boiled, you can use a chemical disinfectant such as odorless household chlorine bleach to protect you from drinking small amounts of filtered and distilled water. Antiseptics can destroy many harmful or pathogenic viruses and bacteria but are less effective at controlling more resistant organisms, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia parasites. 

Chlorine dioxide tablets can be effective against Cryptosporidium if the manufacturer’s instructions are followed correctly. If the water is contaminated with a chemical, the disinfectant will not be able to drink it.

Filtration

If you use a portable water filter, try to use one with holes that are small enough to remove parasites. Most portable water filters do not remove bacteria or viruses. A filter labeled as certified by NSF standards 53 or 58 removes parasites if used properly, but does not remove viruses or all bacteria. 

Anti-osmosis filters remove bacteria and viruses and also remove salt from the water, which is important for people who may need to use saltwater. When using filters always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and check the label of your filter product.

Ultraviolet Light 

Ultraviolet light (UV light) can be used to destroy certain pathogens. Handheld units that provide a measured dose of UV light are effective for disinfecting small amounts of clear water. However, this technique is less effective in cloudy water because small particles can block germs from light. It is important to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

In addition to using the appropriate drinking water treatments mentioned above, you and others can take these steps to protect yourself from waterborne diseases. That is, if you are in a difficult area where there are no toilets, bury human waste at least 8 feet deep, at least 200 feet away from lakes, rivers, and other natural bodies. 

Be sure to bury the feces downstairs from where you or others collect water. Wash your hands before eating, before eating, and after using the toilet. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

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