So if the case ever arrises and I’m forced to drink creek/river water, what are some decent filtration systems out there to stock up on now??
Thanks!
Panty hose for a start. 
It’s been a while since I researched this subject, but I ended up buying a Katadyn pocket filter. It was pretty expensive compared to other offerings, but much like a firearm, I figure if I ever need it, I don’t want “good enough”. Only knock on the pocket filter is that you’ll need to install an inline charcoal filter, but they’re pretty cheap. The pocket filter only purifies water with respect to organisms, but not chemicals.
There are plenty of economical filters out there, but many are made out of plastic and are susceptible to breakage. This could be a minor inconvenience while hiking, but if it’s for SHTF situations, you’ll want a more solid model.
FYI - REI’s price is very high, look around the net and you can find one in the neighborhood of $250-$270.
http://www.rei.com/product/653573/katadyn-pocket-water-filter
Look at the katadyn combi it is around $150 but it does 15000 gallons. They also have a syphon filter for around $50 that does 5000 gallons. Add a prescreen and it will increase the life span, panty hose works well for this.
Through decades of hiking the best water filter I have found for filtering lake, creek, river water is the Katadyn Hiker Pro filter (usded to be the pUR filter, then bought out by Katadyn). I have never gotten sick, and water always taste great. I’ve had to suck water out of some pretty shallow murky holes in the summer.
The Katadyn has nice long hoses for getting to hard to reach areas, can be used loose or connected to hydration bladder or water bottle.
I’ve stocked up a few spares for emergencies as well.
From the REI website description (http://www.rei.com/product/720265/katadyn-hiker-pro-water-filter)
- Includes field maintenance kit with cleanable filter protector to extend cartridge life in challenging conditions
- To clean filter protector, simply swish it in the water
Quick-connect fittings permit easy installation and removal of input and output hoses
- Lightweight and easy-to-use design makes this filter a great choice for all-around use
- Filter physically removes particles, protozoa and bacteria down to 0.3 microns in size, including Giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidium and others
- Glass-fiber element is pleated for increased surface area to handle silt and muddy water
- Activated-carbon core adsorbs chemicals and pesticides to improve taste of water
- Pre-filter at hose inlet filters to 150 microns, removing larger contaminants before they reach the main filter to increase its life span
- Quick-connect fittings allow direct attachment to drinking tube (1/4’') of your hydration pack
Best is always to filter from clear water. Suspend clay and other debris might clog your filter quite fast. Pantyhose is a good, inexpensive prefilter.
IF you are in a real SHTF, filter the coarse debris, let it sit for a few hours, or filter*, take the clear water and apply chlorine.
- here you can use the sand filter followed by a coal filter if a proper carbon filter is unavailable.
Both chlorine and carbon are most effective in the absence of colloids and suspended clay.
For a portable filter, use a Katadyn Pocket.
These are hands down, probably the best portable water filter that you can buy and are well worth the price.
I really like the Big Berkey water filters for a home or hunting camp (or in the case of serious unrest, a base camp.)
The Stainless Steel units are preferable to the plastic units.
http://www.berkeywaterfiltersystems.com/store/pc/Big-Berkey-Water-Filter-2-25-Gallons-4p16.htm
http://www.berkeywaterfiltersystems.com/store/pc/Royal-Berkey-Water-Filter-3-5-Gallon-4p18.htm
If things really go bad (over the long term, if you wear a filter out or if you don’t have a filter) you will probably just have to resort to boiling water. I would boil water before I would add chlorine bleach (the stuff is a pretty nasty chemical, and there is no way that I’ll ingest the stuff if I have any choice in the matter.)
I can’t recommend these filters enough. They are top notch in quality, and will provide you with many years of reliable service.
Tag for later
I notice some restriction to chlorine, mainly in the US.
I don’t know what is the problem with chlorine, since that is the main chemical used in water treatment here. Also aluminum hydroxide, calcium oxide.
For emergrncy water treatment, I heard iodine is also good.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a flocculant used to rpercipitate out particulate matter. The Calcium Oxide is lime used for pH adjustment to protect the plumbing.
Chlorine, usually as a gas but sometimes as a hypochloride drip, is used to sanatize almost all US public drinking water.
Well, for starters the stuff is carcinogenic…
“Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.”
U.S. Council of Environmental Quality
http://www.cleanwateramerica.com/info_whatyoudontknowaboutchlorine.cfm
I won’t use carcinogenic chemicals, where simple techniques that have been used for thousands of years will safely take care of the original problem of waterborne disease.
There in no PROOF it is a carcinogen. None, zippo, zero. And I promise you it has been heavily tested. Chlorine itself is found in your bloodstream. It is a necessary element for life. You would die without it.
That link you provided is to a place that wants to sell you alternative water treatments.
There is the possibility that Chlorine in combination with certain organic and inorganic contaminents can produce potentially carcinogenic compounds.
However, these compounds are strictly and tightly regulated under the 1974 Clean Drinking Water act to very, very, very, very low concentrations in respect to limits that are very conservative. These chemicals are also rountinely sampled and monitored for BY LAW.
Public drinking water is one of the most tested and re-tested consumer commodities you can use.
http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/disinfectionbyproducts.cfm
Read ALL of that page, not just the first part.
So, you believe everything the .GOV says, and don’t do any independent research?
If you looked into this at all, you would find that there are many doctors and other professionals that disagree with you…
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1569031/pdf/envhper00463-0185.pdf
http://www.greensense.com/Features/Action/cancer_on_tap.htm
http://www.friendsofwater.com/No_Chlorine.html
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/165/2/148.abstract
http://www.drmercola.com/health-tips/5-dangerous-tap-water-contaminants/
These are just some of the links I can dig up with a few minutes notice, but if I so desired, I could produce a stack of information on the subject.
I know that Dr. Robert J. Rowan has discussed this at length, as well as Dr. Joseph Mercola.
So, you believe everything the .GOV says, and don’t do any independent research?
I believe that the EPA is stupid-strict on limits it establishes for Chronic and Acute exposure to most anything. If you are accusing the EPA of having lax standards for Public Drinking Water, you are pretty much on the opposite side of the fence from most professionals. Their standards for most limits are so strict, we are to the point in some cases of getting stuff down to parts per billion and that costs beaucoup bucks. As soon as complance is achieved in one permitting cycle, they will come along next cycle and clamp down again on already-strict limits. This is one reason your water and sewer bills go up like they do. The facilities are required to improve treatment BY LAW and that garners a rate hike to buy new equipment.
Let me ask you this: Do you understand the difference between the by-products and the Chlorine itself? Nobody is saying the Chlorine is a Carcinogen, at least anyone with a partial clue.
Chlorine is easy to get rid of. SO2 will knock it right out. Not that it matters at this point. The by-products have to be filtered out. Inasmuch as the formation of these compounds is controlled by removal by floculation and filtration of thier pre-cursors prior to exposure to the Chlorine.
I assume you have never inspected a Public Drinking Water Plant nor are you familiar with the theory and practice of their operation. I however, have inspected Drinking Water Treatment plants and do understand the whole process as well as concerns people such as yourself have and I still do not hesitate to drink it.
If you are worried about the potential for nasty, free radical forming compounds, the best thing to do is take a couple of Vitamin C tablets a day and stop worrying. It will work on alot more things than what comes in your water.
The link I gave you explains EXACTLY what the potential carcenigens are and how they are limited, that is if you bothered to read it. If you are really curious, contact your local health department and request a copy of the latest lab analysis of your town’s drinking water and compare it to the limits EPA has set. See for yourself exactly what the concentrations of these chemicals are in your drinking water.
I also have a Big Berkey which I landed up after looking at a few different water filtration systems:
http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/berkey-filter-systems-c-1/big-berkey-p-182
Definitely not cheap, though.
Thank you VERY MUCH everyone!! This definitely pointed me in the right direction. Much appreciated.
Yep, I remember that since we visited a water treatment plant in the 5th or 6th grade.
The discussion the topic of chlorine ensued is amazing, and I have yet to wade through it and digest all the info.
I recall seeing iodine as an alternative chemical for water disinfection, although some people can’t stand the taste.
There is also a popular chemical sold here in Brazil for veggie cleaning that is a mix of iodine and sodium hipochloride. The brand name is Hidrosteril
I used a Sweetwater Guardian filter for 18 months of living & travel through Southeast Asia as my only water source and didn’t contract any waterborne illnesses in spite of some fairly sketchy water sources. -sadly, malaria occurred anyhow, but that had nothing to do with my water 
Iodine is not effective on Giardia and some people have an allergy to it in excessive quantites.
Then, other than chlorine, the best treatment post-filtering is a 15 minute boil?