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Post by Coolkat on Mar 9, 2016 6:05:38 GMT -8
There is the slight possibility that I might be going back to Isle royale this year and in thinking about this I remembered one of the warnings the ranger gave us last time I was there.
The welcoming ranger on the dock warned us that we needed a water filter was that was .1 micron or less if you were taking water from inland lakes because of tapeworm eggs (or something liked, I don't remember all the details). Specifically warning us that .2 microns was not small enough.
As it turned out I use a Steripen anyway and I ended up getting all my water from Lake Superior. However, this time there is a good chance that I will be getting water from one of the inland lakes. I'll probably still use my Steripen but I do have an old Pur Hiker Pro that is .2 microns that I loan out sometimes.
Is this something I need to worry about with my Pur Hiker Pro and/or Steripen? Was the ranger's warning about .2 micron filter not being small enough true or am I just remembering wrong?
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 9:03:22 GMT -8
That size seems off for eggs, more of what's needed for smaller viruses. waterreclaim.com/resources/filter-sizing-chartYep, the eggs of tapeworms are 30-50 microns www.practicalscience.com/taenia.htmlThe park service websites often give give good, locale specific information. If a smaller filter size is required (or chemical treatment) I'd expect it to be noted. Yep: and they warn against the Steripen. "Drinking Water: Rock Harbor and Windigo campgrounds have potable drinking water. All campsites, except Island Mine, are located on either Lake Superior or an inland lake. Water is plentiful but needs to be boiled or filtered with at least a .4 micron filter to prevent waterborne illnesses. The SteriPen has not been tested by the manufacturer for a common Isle Royale parasite and cannot be considered effective. The water source at Island Mine is a small stream and water can be scarce in late summer. Water in between campgrounds (especially on the ridge trails) is limited, so it is best to leave camp with at least two quarts of water per person. www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/camping.htmThat parasite might very well be tapeworm: a bit of UV for something that large might not do much.... and that would also rule out chemical treatment as eggs are specifically structured to be tough. |
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Post by Coolkat on Mar 9, 2016 10:34:01 GMT -8
Water is plentiful but needs to be boiled or filtered with at least a .4 micron filter to prevent waterborne illnesses. Thanks HSF! Interesting, I guess my memory failed me on this one. I thought for sure that he said .1 or smaller but here is says .4 or smaller so I guess my Hiker Pro should be fine then. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 10:59:25 GMT -8
Parasites are a far different challenge from viruses.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 11:18:32 GMT -8
If the water is relatively clear (i.e. not water churned brown by a recent storm) - your Steripen will kill/neutralize all baddies. I've used my beloved Steripen all over the world for months at a time since 2009 and never once got sick.. "all" 40 micron Tapeworm Eggs? Versus the actual park service statement? That's just ridiculous,. How often and at what titer were you exposed to tapeworm parasites or other parasite eggs in your water samples? And the actual manufacturer's page refers to bacteria, viruses and protozoan cysts, with ZERO about parasite eggs of any sort. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 11:25:19 GMT -8
Good one. Something sixteen thousand times larger in volume is the same simply because they're both "microscopic"? Remarkable degree of biology ignorance right there I must say. And given this is a health and safety issue? I will. |
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Mar 9, 2016 12:07:17 GMT -8
You are boating the IR? Carry enough fuel to boil all of your water. Boil enough at night for the 2-3 you will need the next day before boiling again. WB stove + DA = 1.5 oz per qt. 6 oz of DA per day should get you through.  Seriously, I'd carry tablets except for the inland lakes. However, I don't already own a decent filter like yours.
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daveb
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Post by daveb on Mar 9, 2016 14:04:30 GMT -8
Maybe a Sawyer Mini is in order for a "just in case" filter. They claim to filter .1 micron and cost about $25.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 14:44:00 GMT -8
Use UV lights for worm parasite eggs? No they don't because that tech isn't intended for nor certified for that size organism.
That's not opinion it's biology: a target sixteen thousands of times larger will not be inactivated by the consumer light pen designed for the much smaller and more fragile pathogen targets of bacteria, virus and protozoan cysts.
On a related note: is that parasite threat localized to Isle Royal due to special local conditions regarding those lakes?
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 14:47:31 GMT -8
Remarkable degree of biology ignorance right there I must say. And given this is a health and safety issue? I will. You are, of course, entitled to your view -- but countless thousands use UV technology such as Steripen's without issue. OTOH, using a filter, then one is also faced with the potential flip side: most filters cannot filter the truly small stuff -- like viruses! So what to do? Carry a heavy purifier -- or combine filter with UV treatment? My own take -- really, for most North American waters -- either UV or a quality filter will suffice. Unless we know that a specific water source has issues with either the tiniest viruses -- or gigantic "tapeworm eggs" (which OP did not mention at all). The OP? " The welcoming ranger on the dock warned us that we needed a water filter was that was .1 micron or less if you were taking water from inland lakes because of tapeworm eggs (or something liked, I don't remember all the details). Specifically warning us that .2 microns was not small enough" Tapeworm eggs specifically noted by the ranger as an inland water risk. And while the "parasite" noted in the parks water purification section was unnamed what are the odds there are two threats of parasites there? |
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Mar 9, 2016 17:00:45 GMT -8
If y'all are gonna have a piss-distilling contest... ...we're gonna need more copper tubing. |
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Post by Coolkat on Mar 9, 2016 19:17:30 GMT -8
After reading all of this. I think I'm gonna play it safe and take a mini sawyer like daveb suggested. A small probably just as light cheap option. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 9, 2016 19:56:03 GMT -8
After reading all of this. I think I'm gonna play it save and take a mini sawyer like daveb suggested. A small probably just as light cheap option. You might ask the Rangers by phone what the parasite that concerns them is and why? The islands have an interesting ecology but that's still a new one. |
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Mar 10, 2016 5:09:00 GMT -8
HSF clearly won that hand of Pompous Poker by playing "biology ignorance" with "health and safety." So I'll start the next one… After reading all of this. I think I'm gonna play it save and take a mini sawyer I know several people who are fans of the Sawyer Mini, but each has made significant modifications to the system. It's practically unusable off the store shelf for filtering from still water sources - you won't get 8 oz. of water in the tiny 16 oz. bag, and it takes a frustratingly long time to filter a qt. or two. Works better in fast moving water, but in that case, I'm using my Steripen. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Mar 10, 2016 8:51:23 GMT -8
HSF clearly won that hand of Pompous Poker by playing "biology ignorance" with "health and safety." So I'll start the next one… After reading all of this. I think I'm gonna play it save and take a mini sawyer I know several people who are fans of the Sawyer Mini, but each has made significant modifications to the system. It's practically unusable off the store shelf for filtering from still water sources - you won't get 8 oz. of water in the tiny 16 oz. bag, and it takes a frustratingly long time to filter a qt. or two. Works better in fast moving water, but in that case, I'm using my Steripen. So you'll use a Steripen despite the parasite threat the park service specifically states isn't suitable for their inland water? |
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Seriously, I'd carry tablets except for the inland lakes. However, I don't already own a decent filter like yours.
