Water Purification While Camping: Creating Safe Drinking Water from Lakes, Rivers, Snow, or Rain

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The well-prepared camper will always know the location of the nearest water source. While many campgrounds and facilities offer fresh water from a well, having fresh water for the duration of a trip is not always a guarantee. Knowing how to purify water is a skill even the most novice of campers should be familiar with. The following guidelines can be followed in almost every camping situation where safe drinking water is needed.

Sources of Water While Hiking or Camping

Many sources of water can be easily found in trail guides on or local maps. If none of the following water sources are available, remember that water always seeks the lowest level, so the clues from nature can help guide you to a source. Animal tracks, dry stream beds, and birds circling can all be signs that water is close by.

Lakes and rivers are usually marked on maps and are almost always reliable sources of water when camping or hiking. While many campers assume that moving water that tumbles over rocks is the cleanest, because of how clear it appears to the naked eye. However, water from large, deep, sources will have the fewest germs. They settle to the bottom, meaning there are less bacteria in the water to begin with. Always reach as far away from shore as possible when gathering water from a lake or river.

Hikers and campers who enjoy the outdoors in the winter months, or those hiking in high altitudes can gather water from snow. Fresh snow often has few, if any germs, making it easy to create clean water. Shadowy ravines that face the north, or shaded and wooded areas are good places to look for untouched snow. Though snow is made up of water itself, when melting snow, it’s advisable to put a little water in the pot before boiling. This helps prevent scorching the snow, which results in a bad taste.

Rainwater is also an option for collecting water when camping or hiking. Rain can be easily collected in pots and pans or empty water bottles. When collecting rainwater, look for areas that rain would collect naturally, such as the low grounds, or areas of depressions in rocks. Like the other sources for water, rain will always need to be purified before use.

Four Ways to Purify Water While Camping or Hiking

Regardless of what option you use for purifying water in the wilderness, using a pre-filtering system helps make the water taste better, and removes unnecessary debris that may have entered during collection. Straining water through a bandanna, using a pre-filter system, or letting water settle before disinfecting are three ways to begin the water purification process.

One of the easiest ways to purify water on the trail is through boiling. Most hikers and backpackers will carry with them a small backpacking stove that can boil water in just a few minutes. When water reaches the point of a rapid boil, it is considered safe to drink, even in high altitudes. If using the water for cooking, the heat of cooking will disinfect it, so there is no need to boil the water prior to the cooking process. If you expect to use boiling water as the primary means for water purification, it is important to carry with you an extra canister of fuel for your stove.

Chemical disinfection is another easy way to create safe drinking water. Many camping stores sell water purification tablets, or small bottles of chemicals in the ideal size for campers and hikers. Because each product is unique, follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Some chemical water purifiers can cause water to have an unusual taste, but this can be easily masked with the addition of drink powders, tea, or coffee. However, any additions to the water must be added after the purification process is complete, not before.

Portable water filter systems used to be bulky and cumbersome for campers and hikers, but have become smaller and lighter as the demand has increased. There is a wide variety of water filter systems on the market, but they are not all the same. Some will only filter out a select group of bacteria and protozoans, but none of the water filters will kill off any viruses present in the water source. Always read the packaging prior to purchase to fully understand what the water filtration system is capable of. When using a water filter system on the trail, carrying a backup purification product, such as a tablet or chemical additive, is the best way to make sure water is truly disinfected.

Water that is exposed to UV light for prolonged periods is also safe for consumption. No hiker wants to let their water sit in the sun for hours and hours on end, so portable UV devices have been created to make this form of water disinfection easy. Though UV water purification is one of the fastest and easiest ways to purify water, it is not the ideal system for water from all sources. Make sure to read the label of the device to make sure it will fit the majority of your water purification needs. Further, UV devices are battery powered, meaning it is always advisable to have spare batteries with you throughout your trip.

Regardless of what water purification system you use while camping and hiking, carrying along a backup system is never a bad idea. You can never be sure when you may need a sanitary water supply, and no one method of purification is ideal for all situations. Potable water is one of the most essential items any backpacker, camper, or hiker needs throughout any excursion, and is therefore a priority that rises to the top of the list.

Resource by AnnaBelle

Annalise Kaylor is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant specializing in search engine optimized content for the web. As a writer, her work has appeared across the United States in print ads for Whirlpool, Maytag, Home Depot, and Lowe's, among others. As a consultant, she has worked primarily in the education sector, helping universities increase their web visibility and construct and implement social media strategy. Annalise is an avid reader, knitter, organic gardener and baker, as well as the author of the popular baking blog, Knead To Be Loaved. Annalise enjoys fly fishing, camping, and hiking.

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