Water purification

[teepee]

Hi all,

a simple question: do you carry water purification gear around with you. i am thinking of the katadyn pumps and the likes.

cheers,
Teepee

[Niel]

I only use it when hiking or when I know there is very little water available in the area. I use the MSR Miniworks II (more for the hiker - small and compact) used in the Fish River Canyon but it was not really required.

[teepee]

cheers niel - does that mean that we can drink the water at the campsites around southern africa?

[Scooter]

Water changes from place to place, and even though you might be in Southern Africa you might still have to purify.

Always check with the campsite (in any country) before drinking the water. You may be able to drink it but you may also spend most of your time getting to know how porcelain is made.

Up in the okavango, at film camp, the water is pumped from the closest dam, it comes free with hippo crap, is brown in colour, tastes rather strange and will give you the runs if you are not used to it, but it doesn't have to be purified if you can handle a day or two of the runs.

have a look in the latest "Drive Out" magazine, they have a few write ups on purification techniques.

[Niel]

cheers niel - does that mean that we can drink the water at the campsites around southern africa

I do my best to take as much water as possible with me. I also take my own "addictives" for the water or I drink beer The most places I have been to in Nam, Bots and Zim you could drink the water. Zim we opted to drink bottled water altough they claim it was ok to drink.

[Harold]

A cap full of Milton to 25lt of water makes the water safe to drink,
I am told that Jik is not recommeded as it contains other chemicals and impurities not recommended for human consumption.

[Niel]

I also take my own "addictives" for the water

whiskey = addictives

[Harold]

Don't worry about the water - just drink the additive!

[Niel]

:D :D :D

[teepee]

and i am supposed to drink between 3 and 6 liters per day - africa will be heavier on my liver than i expected

but thanks for the help lads!