Best Water Purification Tablets?

[echo83]

I have a Sawyer Squeeze and a mini stove for boiling water, but I'm not really sure where to start with water purification tablets/solution. I like to have a few redundancies when it comes to getting/making clean water on the trail.

Do any of you have a particular type of iodine or the like that you trust for purifying water on the go? 

[Moab]

This is from www.outdoorgearlab.com the top backpacking and trekking review site. I trust them completely. Real world professional hikers, backpackers and trekkers review everything in the field over several trips and months. If not longer:

"Chemical Drops and Tablets:

Backpacking chemical treatments that have their own set of pros and cons.

Credit: Amber King

Drops and tablets purify water by adding a chemical to it. They have the advantage of killing viruses in addition to bacteria and most protozoa. However, many of these treatments do not kill Cryptosporidium a common pathogen in North America. As a result, this treatment is ideal in conjunction with a filtration system that can remove it.

Pros: Lightweight, inexpensive, kills most pathogens
Cons: Long treatment time, adds a taste to the water, doesn't remove particulates
Best Uses Emergency treatment, lightweight missions, all water sources, solo to group use."

I don't know why they included the Lifestraw in their review chart. It's not even a water treatment chemical. And it pales in comparison to every other filtration system. Especially the Sawyer. Which is world class. Their water filters are used all over Africa. Where clean water and sanitation are not available. They also donate a ton of them to African countries.

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/backpacking-water-filter/aquamira-water-treatment-drops

You cannot view this attachment.

[echo83]

This is from www.outdoorgearlab.com the top backpacking and trekking review site. I trust them completely. Real world professional hikers, backpackers and trekkers review everything in the field over several trips and months. If not longer:

"Chemical Drops and Tablets:

Backpacking chemical treatments that have their own set of pros and cons.

Credit: Amber King

Drops and tablets purify water by adding a chemical to it. They have the advantage of killing viruses in addition to bacteria and most protozoa. However, many of these treatments do not kill Cryptosporidium a common pathogen in North America. As a result, this treatment is ideal in conjunction with a filtration system that can remove it.

Pros: Lightweight, inexpensive, kills most pathogens
Cons: Long treatment time, adds a taste to the water, doesn't remove particulates
Best Uses Emergency treatment, lightweight missions, all water sources, solo to group use."

I don't know why they included the Lifestraw in their review chart. It's not even a water treatment chemical. And it pales in comparison to every other filtration system. Especially the Sawyer. Which is world class. Their water filters are used all over Africa. Where clean water and sanitation are not available. They also donate a ton of them to African countries.

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/backpacking-water-filter/aquamira-water-treatment-drops

You cannot view this attachment.

Perfect, thank you! This is exactly what I'm looking for. 

[TACAIR]

I would note that iodine has been banned in the Eu for water treatment.  
" Blue Hill, ME – June 12, 2009 – The European Union (EU) has announced that iodine will no longer be sold or supplied for use in disinfecting drinking water after October 25, 2009. This announcement directly impacts all 27 countries in the EU and can potentially set global precedents regarding the safety of using chemical-based water treatment products."
UKC Forums - OI NEWS: EU to Ban Iodine for Use in Disinfecting Drinking Water (ukclimbing.com))

[MacWa77ace]

I would note that iodine has been banned in the Eu for water treatment. 
" Blue Hill, ME – June 12, 2009 – The European Union (EU) has announced that iodine will no longer be sold or supplied for use in disinfecting drinking water after October 25, 2009. This announcement directly impacts all 27 countries in the EU and can potentially set global precedents regarding the safety of using chemical-based water treatment products."
UKC Forums - OI NEWS: EU to Ban Iodine for Use in Disinfecting Drinking Water (ukclimbing.com))

This is giving me Deja Vu. Don't use this cheap solution that has been know to work for decades. Instead, we'll let the government ban the cheap solution in favor of a Trademarked private sector product like our expensive 'Steripen'. Let the money flow!!



https://www.katadyngroup.com/int/en/brands/Steripen~b4908/overview

https://www.amazon.com/SteriPEN-ULT-MP-EF-SterPen-Ultra-Purifier/dp/B00NK9948M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=L7REU1SOKG1A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PQqGfZvF98BDwXPoVwn_7o7Sm5HeRuIc7Jcpilb1MekgYhUQ46B9JQiXHlZt3jQmduU9RJOtubHC7PW5HE0gdSbWFYW2E3DlBYC3BnkfL9pwi9WDU8UCNUIiSCevHA8UiDFP7FVRiwoXnwq5bQDzMa9L0eYjAx-Ok2s7XR48uvhxV8sJqhm62Er_TChR2pyPjIgBQfBk-msvl3jZV5N5qeM24rEcq6vlEP48RGSWR79PE6xmMIeh6tNphvo9j2Q-evl2Llyt1OQ_olAEsujpgwQgtu5MmYxl1o5mgB614eg.OpXTUiJTH_2jnpasIS4go_e4hlMv9eztMMmY32B5RSM&dib_tag=se&keywords=steripen&qid=1710959164&sprefix=steripen%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

UV light destroys germs' ability to reproduce and make you sick; The SteriPEN destroys over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa

Just hold the water up to the sunlight.

[TACAIR]

From 23 years ago
Use of iodine for water disinfection: iodine toxicity and maximum recommended dose. - PMC (nih.gov)

from 2010
10% Povidone-iodine may be a practical field water disinfectant - PubMed (nih.gov)

from 25 years ago
Microsoft Word - Iodine_01 03 2018 FINAL (who.int)

From 34 years ago (dot MIL)
Iodine Disinfection in the Use of Individual Water Purification Devices (dtic.mil)
very comprehensive look at the type of iodine and temp/exposure time curse vs efficacy.
***

All the bugs in the water and how different treatment methods work - (6/23)
A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry and Travel Use | Camping, Hiking, Travel | Drinking Water | Healthy Water | CDC

Does iodine work?
Yeah, sorta.  Issues related to time of exposure, water temperature, turbidity and "other contaminates" all play into this.  Shelf life and storage conditions (dark or opaque containers) are a big player in this as well.

My choice - Chlorine dioxide. 

And the issues related to time of exposure and concentrations of the chemical.  Turbidity alos lays a big part in the use of this treatment method.
Chlorine Dioxide Inactivation of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts and Bacterial Spore Indicators - PMC (nih.gov)  Very in-depth look at testing involved.

I use a Sawyer filter and then the Chlorine dioxide together when taking the time to boil is not an option.

Cool thing is, at least for right now, you get to pick for you.

***   

Finally ChloFloc treats for turbidity and provides for purification. 
How to Use CLOR-FLOC to Purify Water (youtube.com)

and
Flocculation (youtube.com)
this would be the ALUM you buy at the drug store for use with turbid water.
Using alum for extracting silt from river water for drinking and cooking while camping. (youtube.com)  in use.

[Moab]

Which chlorine dioxide do you use @TACAIR ?

[Raptor]

An unsolicited opinion here:

Iodine and Chlorine are useful mainly for disinfecting water from viruses, bacteria and similar organic threats. They do not work against prions, pesticides, heavy metals (arsenic, lead etc.).

Bringing the water to a rolling boil will work as well against such organics but again will not be effective against prions, pesticides and heavy metals.

Activated carbon water filters (those with proper NSF certifications not 42 or 53) will also work well against organics (but not many viruses) as well as prions, pesticides and heavy metals. The key issue is the functionality and life of the filter.

Personal preference here but I prefer to filter water through a cloth or coffee filter and then boil the questionable water, let it cool and then filter it through an activated carbon filter. That way I do not have to deal with any iodine or chlorine toxicity issues.

A rolling boil does require heat and fuel but it does deal with everything iodine and chlorine tablets will kill.




 

[TACAIR]

Which chlorine dioxide do you use @TACAIR ?

Portable Aqua as they are readily available here.

I also carry an 'eyedropper bottle' with fresh 6% bleach for quick treatment after filtering.  I carry a Sawyer for that.
   
Boiling is preferred.  Locally (AK) farm runoff isn't a big deal.  Near rural villages, human waste can be a problem.....