Backcountry Water Treatment

Recently I took a NOLS Wilderness First Resoponder course and received a great quick overview of the different water treatment options and their effectiveness.  Hopefully this will help you make a decision on the type of water treatment you might want to go with for this adventure.  This information comes from the NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Wilderness Medicine Handbook.

Heat: a rolling boil is all that is needed.  Disinfects against Bacteria, Viruses, both Giardia Amoeba and Cryptosporidium.

Filtration: Protozoa (Giardia Amoeba and Cryptosporidium) need at least 1 micron pore size for removal.  Bacteria needs at least 0.2 micron pore size.  Might filter Bacteria, might filter Viruses, filters both types of Protozoa. The Sawyer Squeeze filter has a high-performance 0.1 Micron filter so filters Bacteria and Protozoa.

Halogen (Iodine or Chlorine): The outcomes of this treatment depends on contact time, water temperature, turbidity, pH, and halogen concentration.  Disinfects against Bacteria, Viruses, and Giardia.  It does not disinfect against Cryptosporidium.

Halogen (Iodine or Chlorine): The outcomes of this treatment depends on contact time, water temperature, turbidity, pH.  This method also  needs at least 4 hours contact time to disinfect against Cryptosporidium.  It disinfects against Bacteria, Viruses, and Protozoa.

UV Light: This method requires Clear Water! Keep this in mind.  Water sources are not always clear.  If used in clear water disinfects against Bacteria, Viruses, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.