The World Health Organization recently reported that about half of the travelers suffer from diarrhea while on their way. Apart from this, the same organization links contaminated drinking water to 80% of travel diseases. This only means that travelers, like campers and hikers must take extra precaution especially with drinking water.
The common microbes in backcountry drinking water include giardia and cryptosporidia that cause chronic diarrhea and vomiting. In the wilderness of North America, giardia has been found in 90% of these waters. The bottom line therefore is that these waters are not safe to drink. There are however available methods of treating water to avoid sickness like boiling, iodine treatment, bleaching or simply with reliable water purifier.
If you are a light backpacker, it will be inconvenient for you to bring boiling equipment. Treating water with iodine, purification tablets and chlorine bleach will leave a chemical taste in the treated water. Portable water purifier like Katadyn Hiker Pro Microfilter is a reliable partner and kills most water microbes. It is better than iodine, purification tablets and chlorine bleach since it does not leave unpleasant taste in the water.
When on travel, make sure you only drink industrially bottled beverages. It is always possible that open or unsealed bottles are filled from a contaminated source. For your safety, do not drink untreated water especially from backcountry water sources. A hand sanitizer will help disinfect your hands especially if water source is limited. Prepare your food, either fruits or vegetables using treated water only. In the same way use treated water for personal hygiene use.
If you plan to camp for several days, it is best that you bring canned and dried foods to avoid spoilage. If you prefer fresh produce, make sure to wash fruits and vegetables at home and then pack them in sealed clean container. Use treated water to wash cooking utensils and in washing your hands before eating. Food with meat, chicken or beef should be consumed at the first day of camping.
Always practice proper sanitation when you are on travel or camping. This is for your safety and the other campers too. Food and other waste materials should be separated and disposed properly. Clean towels should always be on your camping supplies list. Enjoy your camping and backpacking trip but make sure safety is your priority.
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