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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2016 23:32:43 GMT -8
A few of us will be traveling through India and I was worried about the water quality there. I know that the tap water can be contaminated and bottled water is a bit suspect as well. I will not be hiking through but staying in a few places and going on day hikes. The equipment I was looking at doesn't need to be portable because we don't expect to carry it on hikes I thought it would make sense to use the following combination 1) Carbon cyst reduction filter - mainly to take out tapeworm cysts which steripen is ineffective against 2) Then use a steripen or Camelbak All clear UV to inactivate bacteria and viruses However I had a few questions: 1) The tapwater in India is expected to be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, cysts and possibly tapeworm cysts. If I filter this through a carbon filter which is rated for cyst removal, will this result in bacterial growth in the filter itself? I realise that I am using a steripen after this but was concerned about the carbon filter becoming a breeding ground for bacteria 2) I have narrowed it down to a few filters. Curious if anyone has used these? www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9WLKBY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2GWFP3U2L6AL1&coliid=I3V9IOOPR9DNZRwww.amazon.com/New-Wave-Enviro-Eco-Cyst/dp/B00TL8USXQ/ref=pd_bxgy_468_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00TL8USXQ&pd_rd_r=FSR1PRM27ZT34W8FY9N2&pd_rd_w=ZrEI8&pd_rd_wg=spH8y&psc=1&refRID=FSR1PRM27ZT34W8FY9N2These are rated NSF 53 for cyst reduction I looked at countertop filters because we will have tap water Would appreciate your take on this Thanks |
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Dec 20, 2016 4:39:57 GMT -8
@ben2world What do you think?
Ben is our most frequent traveler to foreign countries. I think he mostly uses a streripen, but I am unsure if he combines it with anything else. Let's see what he thinks.
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Post by lancer on Dec 20, 2016 11:43:20 GMT -8
Until Ben2World comes along...
I've used the SteriPen in India without any problems. But your "belt and suspenders" plan to filter and use UV is not unreasonable. I don't have any experience with the filters you linked to, but for the typical backpacking filter (eg. Sawyer Squeeze, Katadyn Hiker, etc) will not harbor bacteria if properly maintained. Instructions usually call for running a mild bleach solution through the filter prior to storage.
What parts of India do you plan to visit? |
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Post by trinity on Dec 20, 2016 12:28:41 GMT -8
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bp2go
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Post by bp2go on Dec 20, 2016 14:02:05 GMT -8
Indeed. I have notified Amy about this thread, and I'll point out that there is a lot of info in the ad she put in the Members' Market Bulletin Board! |
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dayhiker
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Post by dayhiker on Dec 20, 2016 17:21:33 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2016 18:26:26 GMT -8
Diercon filter looks great. However I have some wrist issues which makes it difficult to operate a pump filter 1) If I go with one of the filters I mentioned, I was thinking I could replace the catridges every 2-3 weeks. They are pretty cheap at around $10. However should I be worried about bacterial contamination in the filters for 2-3 week period of use? www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9WLKBY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2GWFP3U2L6AL1&coliid=I3V9IOOPR9DNZR2) I tried to find test results on Steripen and I only saw links to other organisations which talked about bacteria and viruses being tested. I did saw an actual test result on the Camelbak website www.camelbak.com/en/Sports-Recreation/Purification/Faq/faq.aspx#faq19If you scroll down to section entitled "Has the All Clear system been tested and validated by an independent laboratory? " - you will see a link with the testing report Is the Camelbak UV light a higher wattage or more effective than Steripen, especially for cysts? Thanks |
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Post by amydiercon on Dec 21, 2016 2:50:45 GMT -8
Normally, the bacteria tends to grow in a damp environment. So if the carbon filter is the last stage, one way to inhibit bacterial reproduction is by silver supported technology.
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crick
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Post by crick on Dec 21, 2016 4:54:10 GMT -8
Your concern about water is absolutely well placed and this is something that needs to be addressed. Many households in India rely on RO/UV filteration, so that process should be sufficient to get the TDS ( total dissolved salts) & impurities within acceptable limits.
You can buy cap sealed ( not plastic sealed) water bottles and have something like Sawyer Squeeze as backup.For brands of water you can consider - Kinley, Aquafina ( Pepsi Co brand), Himalayan, Bailley, Qua as good brands. Of these Himalayan and Qua are natural mineral water, while others are processed ones. As @ben2world pointed out, not all bottled water brands are of high quality, so stick to specific brands.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2016 6:37:08 GMT -8
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Dec 21, 2016 6:59:19 GMT -8
Whatever you decide to use, remember that the water you drink isn't the only issue. If food is lightly boiled in water (or perhaps even steamed), you can have issue. Think of pasta or rice. If someone washes their hands in "tainted" water and touches your food you're at risk.
And yeah, it's happened to me. Got some nasty food poisoning that way recently.
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bp2go
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Post by bp2go on Dec 21, 2016 9:03:28 GMT -8
Having just listened to an NPR report on air pollution in India's major cities, breathing might be a greater concern than a drink of water! Seriously, take a look at this list of NPR reports about the problem! Yikes!! |
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Post by dayhiker on Dec 21, 2016 10:18:32 GMT -8
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Post by onepaddlejunkie on Dec 22, 2016 20:20:05 GMT -8
I spent three weeks in India and I agree with Ben. I used a Steripen to treat tap water and drank only brand name bottled water that had the cap seal in place. I would add however, I never drank anything that had ice in it. I don't know how well the Steripen works in a glass of ice water. I loved India, and would go back in a millisecond. There are so many great things to see in India that your head may explode. The traffic is the most horrifying thing you will see. When I got to India my adrenal glands were only slightly larger than average. After three weeks in India they were the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger's biceps. I had also developed a great looking six pack from clenching my abdominal muscles the entire time I was on the road. I could go on and on but I would probably be the only one being entertained. Have a great time in India!
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Post by WinterWorth_Miller on Dec 23, 2016 1:55:21 GMT -8
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