Filtration And Purification 101: How, Why, and When to Treat Water on Camping Trips
Water is critical to life—that’s just a fact. And that’s no different when you’re camping. But many campers are ill-prepared to purify or filter water, risking waterborne illnesses caused by bacteria like E. coli to parasites like Giardia. These microscopic dangers can decimate your digestive system—some can even kill you. Perhaps worst of all, they can ruin a rad camping trip.
All jokes aside, if you’ve ever experienced one of these waterborne illnesses, you know that water filtration and purification are no laughing matter. In this guide to camp hydration, we’ll talk all things H20. We’ll explain the difference between potable and non-potable water, and the risks associated with the latter. We’ll also discuss our favorite water filters, break down our go-to purification treatment techniques, and more.
If you want to sip safely on your next adventure and are thirsty for knowledge, keep on reading—and maybe grab yourself a glass of water while you’re at it. This is a long one!
What is Potable vs Non-Potable Water?
You’ll often see the phrases “potable water” and “non-potable water” while camping. It’s important to know the distinction between the two.
Potable Water:
Potable water is defined as water that is safe to drink. If you see a sign that says “potable water” next to a campground spigot, you’re welcome to drink that water without filtering or treating the water.
Non-Potable Water:
Non-potable water, on the other hand? No bueno. If you see a water source that says “non-potable water,” it’s best not to drink it, as it may be contaminated and hazardous to your health. The vast majority of non-potable water sources, of course, are not labeled, so it’s up to you to figure out whether or not you need to filter or treat the water.
Non-potable water may be hiding some of the following hazards:
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Bacteria like E. Coli or Salmonella
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Protozoan parasites like Giardia or Cryptosporidium
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Viruses like Hepatitis A or Norovirus
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Toxins like lead
Water Storage: Every Car Camper’s Favorite Hydration Hack
Many backpackers carry a maximum of two liters of water at a time, as water bottles are super heavy. However, when you’re car camping, you have the luxury of packing as much water as you can fit in your trunk.
On many car camping trips, especially shorter ones, we’ll never filter or treat water at all. Instead, we’ll bring reusable containers (we like these cheap, basic, and durable five-gallon jugs) and fill them with clean, potable water from home or a campground spigot. You can also go for something more higher end (yes, water storage can get fancy) with these 11L containers from Dometic.
Spigots And Streams: What To Look For When Finding Water Sources
Potable Spigots
When we’re camping, the very first thing we’ll look for is a designated source of potable water. As we mentioned above, you’ll find such spigots at many campgrounds and recreation areas. This saves us the hassle of filtering or treating water for drinking, and it makes things like brushing your teeth or doing dishes much easier as well. However, unless you’re confident a water source is potable, it’s recommended that you filter or otherwise treat water while camping.
Streams, Rivers, And Running Water
The best sources for water collection are running water. It makes sense, right? Turbulent, quickly moving rivers and streams are preferable to stagnant lakes, ponds, or puddles, as it’s generally less likely that bacteria or parasites are present. Also, running water often tastes much better than stagnant alternatives.
Two Thumbs Up For Upriver Water Collection
Another important piece of advice? It’s best to collect water upstream of campgrounds and farmland, as you’re further minimizing the chances of contamination. Without getting too deep in the details, human and livestock waste are common sources of waterborne illnesses. Avoid them, as they say, like the plague.
How To Collect Water From Rivers And Streams Before Filtering or Treating
When you find a river or stream that seems suitable for collecting water, find a spot where you can safely approach the river. It’s almost silly to point this out, but falling in can be a disaster, especially if rapids are roaring or temperatures are frigid.
Once you’re on the bank, avoid stagnant water. Look for a section that’s running quickly, and dip your receptacle into the top section of the river, almost skimming the surface. Again, this can minimize the chances of collecting unwanted contaminants.
Choosing Snow For Melting Snow
In the winter, we don’t collect water as much as we melt snow. The same basic principles apply. Cleaner, freshly fallen snow is preferable to older, dirtier snow. Avoid collecting snow from areas that might be contaminated by human or animal waste.
When To Put Your Faith In Muddy, Murky Water Sources
Now, don’t get us wrong: if you’re in a survival scenario, you certainly can filter water from dirty or stagnant sources. Today’s filtration techniques are quite effective, and we’ve collected from some muddy and murky waters with no issue. But when you have the option, it’s always best to stick with moving water. Murky Water can clog your filters and shorten the lifespan of them.
Prefilter
If you are sourcing water from a murky or muddy source, you can use a prefilter, a bandana, t-shirt, or even a coffee filter to sift out the bigger particles and contaminants. For UV wands, this is essential, as the efficacy of a UV wand drops in murky water. This also enhances the drinking experience if you’re boiling water, as it removes grit and sand that isn’t necessarily harmful but can be unpleasant to consume. What’s more, a prefilter can reduce the frequency you need to clean or replace a filter’s cartridge.
Purification Versus Filtration
There are two main ways campers can turn collected water into drinkable water: filtration and purification.
Filtration
A variety of water filters are available on the market today, including gravity filters, squeeze bottles, straws, and more. All of these filters follow the same basic idea: dirty water passes through a filter, and in the process, becomes clean (at the very least, it becomes clean-er). The filter has teeny-tiny pores that allow smaller water molecules to pass through, but strains out larger contaminants and critters.
While there are exceptions, filtration is generally a quick and effective way to remove most bacteria, parasites, and particulates. However, filters might not protect you against viruses.
Purification
Purification, on the other hand, typically uses heat, light, or chemicals to neutralize harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and so on. Like filtration, purification has its pros and cons. For example, these AquaTabs from MSR eliminate the risk of viruses, protozoa, and bacteria, but toxins and particulates are still a concern.
Research Your Purification System
Although this article is a solid starting point, it’s essential to conduct your own research when shopping for a filter or purification system. Click through each manufacturer’s technical specifications, and check to see what each filter or purification method protects you from, and what it doesn’t.
Know the Water Sources Near Your Camp
Your destination determines your filter or purification needs. For instance, if you’re camping in a remote area, a filter should be fine. On the other hand, if you’re downstream of a crowded campground where human waste and viruses are a concern, it makes sense to look into purification as well.
Understanding the Types of Water Filters for Camping
Gravity Filters: Easy And Great For Groups
Our favorite water filters for car camping are gravity filters, as they’re easy to use and can supply larger groups with plenty of drinking water. Gravity filters, like this one from MSR, use a reservoir bag to collect several liters of water. The bag is hung up—tree branches are perfect, so is our Cargo Hammock if you’re on the road—and gravity pulls water through a hose with an integrated filter. The bottom hose section can deposit clean water into another reservoir for storage or directly into water bottles for immediate drinking.
Pumps: Clean, Efficient, And Best For Backpacking
Pump-style filters, like this one from MSR, rely on a pump to physically push water through a microfilter. These are compact, efficient, and a go-to for backpackers. However, they’re much more time-intensive than gravity filters, especially for groups, and we tend not to use them while car camping.
Squeeze Bottles
Squeeze systems, like this one from Sawyer, are similar—you fill up a bottle with dirty water, squeeze it through a filter, and voila, you’re good to go. These are great because they pair with a bottle you likely already have on hand and are extremely portable.
Straw Water Filters
Straw water filters, like these ones popularized by LifeStraw, use suction to pull dirty water through a filter and into your mouth. They’re solid for backpacking and survival use, but a bit impractical and unnecessary for car camping. If you need to filter anything more than just one gulp at a time, these are not the choice. Often viewed as an emergency item, not a daily essential.
Water Bottles With Integrated Filters: A Great Backup Plan, Hiking Hack, And International Travel Essential
One of our favorite outdoor gear developments as of late? Water bottles with integrated filters, like this one from Katadyn and these ones from Grayl. These bottles are best used by individuals, not groups, as they’re essentially a straw-style filter. The difference is that it’s a one-and-done solution. Just collect dirty water in the bottle, sip it through the integrated lid, and you’re good to go.
We’ll bring the flexible versions on hikes and trail runs when we know we’re going to be passing creeks, so we don’t have to carry as much water on the trail. We also love to bring them on international trips, especially in developing nations where potable water might be hard to come by. And they’re great for car camping, too, as you can fill up and drink wherever you roam.
Additional Purification Methods
Filters aren’t the only game in town. There are other tried-and-true purification methods, like boiling water and iodine tablets, as well as newer ones like UV wands. We’ll break those down here.
Boiling Water (And Melting Snow): Trustworthy Purification
If you have a camp stove and fuel, boom—you have a time-honored purification system on hand. A three-minute-long rolling boil kills, well, pretty much everything, from bacteria and parasites to viruses.
However, boiling water doesn’t eliminate toxins like lead. Nor does it account for particulate matter. Twigs and dirt may still be floating in the water, and while a bit of grit and grime isn’t pleasant, it won’t kill you. You can, as we mentioned above, use a pre-filter to remove some of these larger annoyances.
Lastly, boiling can be very time-consuming and burn through fuel quickly.
Purification Tablets
Purification tablets, like those MSR AquaTabs and Iodine tablets, are dropped into a bottle of dirty water. They take some time to work, and Iodine in particular doesn’t taste great. However, they also eliminate bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. We like to keep some of these in a first aid kit at the very least, as they’re fantastic in the event of an emergency.
UV Wands
Last on our list, UV wands like the Steripen use UV light to neutralize bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. However, the effectiveness is downgraded in silty water, and if you’re out of battery, you’re out of luck.
Two Filtration & Purification Devices
A few more expensive and technologically advanced options exist that filter and purify simultaneously. For international travelers or campers who want the ultimate protection, these are the way to go.
A pump-style filter with hollow-fiber purification technology, the Guardian is our top recommendation for backpackers and campers who want to filter water and still protect against viruses. However, it does not remove toxins like lead.
Another great option? The Grayl GeoPress—basically a French Press-style filtration system with built-in purification. Our top recommendation for travelers, this is one of the best options if you’re looking to combat viruses, parasites, bacteria, particulates, toxins, and more. Not only does the filter strain out the usual trouble-makers, but active charcoal elements help absorb nasty compounds like lead and arsenic, too. We like to keep this GeoPress at the ready in our Luno Seatback Organizer, especially when we’re heading south of the border.
One thing to keep in mind? Pre-filtering dirty water will extend the lifespan of your Grayl cartridges.
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Better Safe Than Sorry
We hope this article has helped you gain a better understanding of the importance of water filtration and purification. Similarly, if you’re in the market for a water filter or purification device, we hope the breakdown above helped point you in the right direction.
Before we sign off, we’ll leave you with this. Purifying or filtering water is, at its worst, time-consuming, annoying, and expensive. At its best? The process can be a trip-saver, not to mention a life-saver.
In this case, the old phrase “better safe than sorry” seems particularly apt.
Thanks as always for reading, and we’ll see you on the road,
The Luno Crew
