Purifying Water – A Backpacker’s Concern

Those days are gone when backpackers drank straight from lakes and streams without having the slightest worry about the purity of the water. Mountain streams were believed to be the purest of all forms of water.

Then the word “Giardia” entered our dictionaries and backpackers needed to start purifying water.

A protozoan parasite named Giardia lamblia leads to a horrible disease called giardiasis, which results in vomiting, bloating, cramps and severe diarrhea. This disease needs to be treated with powerful drugs that have their own side effects.

Thus, it is absolutely essential for a backpacker to purify every drop of water he drinks. The easiest water purification technique is the boiling of water. Boiling water kills Giardia and all other water-borne menaces. But there is a dispute about the duration of time for which water needs to be boiled in order to effectively kill each of the water-borne parasites. Moreover, boiling water wastes a lot of time and fuel.

Water-purifying tablets that contain Iodine are believed to be excellent killers of viruses and bacteria. But recent researches show that Iodine hardly affects Giardia. Present day backpackers better rely on water filters designed specially for backpacking.

Backpacking can be an enjoyable and enriching experience only if you do not catch a disease during your trip. Thus, every backpacker should adopt adequate water-purification measures to ensure that they do not fall prey to Giardia or other severe diseases.