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[lomick1]

Is it ok to to drink brown lake , pool or pond water you'd find in the mournes after you boil it ?

[andymcinroy]

The brown is just peat.
Bring it to the boil and you'll be fine.

[Rich.H]

The brown colour of water tends to be nothing major to worry about as it it most likely just sediment. However boiling water will not not be a sure fire way to safety. Firstly it have to be a sustained rolling boil (heavy bubbling for at least five minutes), that will kill off most bugs/bacteria that are present. But their are some nasties that have a hardened shell to happily cope with 100C, plus boiling does nothing with regards to chemical pollutants.

For most sources you can go with the method of filtering followed by boiling. But if you are serious about your water quality or if you want the peace of mind to use any and all sources then your best bet is to look into units that contain a build in filtration/purification system.

[andymcinroy]

I disagree Rich, most bugs will start to be eliminated at 60C and all will be completely killed by 100C.
A five minute rolling boil is unecessary. As long as the water is bubbling throughout it will be fine.
However, be wary of pouring sterilised water back into a contaminated container. Best to pour it immediately on the boil if you can.
 

[Rich.H]

I disagree Rich, most bugs will start to be eliminated at 60C and all will be completely killed by 100C.
A five minute rolling boil is unecessary. As long as the water is bubbling throughout it will be fine.
However, be wary of pouring sterilised water back into a contaminated container. Best to pour it immediately on the boil if you can.

Very true I was mixing up my boiling with iodine/chlorine resistances. Though I would still prefer to go with a unit with a built in system as boiling can create a false sense of security with regards to chemical pollutants.

[andymcinroy]

Yes. Biggest issue at low level is probably fertiliser runoff, sewage and heavy metals/oils washed off the road. Anything higher up than fields, habitation or roadway should be pretty clean. One possible high level source of chemical contamination might be old mine workings. Is there much of that around the high Mournes?

I must admit that I never carry filters but I can appreciate the peace of mind they would give. Would you recomend one in particular Rich?

 

[Rich.H]

Yes. Biggest issue at low level is probably fertiliser runoff, sewage and heavy metals/oils washed off the road. Anything higher up than fields, habitation or roadway should be pretty clean. One possible high level source of chemical contamination might be old mine workings. Is there much of that around the high Mournes?

I must admit that I never carry filters but I can appreciate the peace of mind they would give. Would you recomend one in particular Rich?

 

I went with the water 2 Go bottles after seeing a review on hikersblog. So far very impressed as it is one self contained unit and lets me fill up from even the filthiest stuff without a care. Means no hassle of boiling and no time delay from chemical purification.

[andymcinroy]

Thanks Rich, that looks like an excellent bit of kit.
And I suppose that any extra weight from the filter is offset by the fuel saved.
Might see if I can get one of these ahead of my 3 day trip to the Mournes this weekend.

[Rich.H]

I have never weight the filter alone but it is next to nothing. The bottle is 750ml and full it comes in at 845g, so it can't really be counted as weight as the difference between this and any decent 750ml bottle is tiny. Price wise when your buying replacement filters it works out around 4p per litre.

[RedLeader]

Is it hard to use? I have a Travel Tap and it works well but it's a pain in the ass squeezing the water through the filter.

I have never weight the filter alone but it is next to nothing. The bottle is 750ml and full it comes in at 845g, so it can't really be counted as weight as the difference between this and any decent 750ml bottle is tiny. Price wise when your buying replacement filters it works out around 4p per litre.

[Rich.H]

Usage couldn't be simpler, the bottle has three parts. The main bottle, a screw on combined lid/drinking spout, and a filter. The filter just screws onto the underside of the lid, then you fill the bottle and screw on the lid to the bottle. Flip up the drinking spout and suck away. There is a small air valve in the lid which helps to create a good flow, I find that once you get below a third full you need to have the bottle upside down and give a very gentle squeeze. Other than that you tend to get a good mouthful with each gulp with little effort.

In fact the most technical parts about the system are priming the filter and keeping it clean. You need to make sure a new or dried filter is soaked before use as they don't perform very well when dry. This is easy to do just fill the bottle and leave it upside down for 10 minutes then use away. This only applies for brand new filters or ones you have had dried totally for storage, if it is simply a refill during the day then just fill and use instantly. As far as keeping the filter clean goes, just try to get into a habit of having a clean empty pocket or zip bag etc and put the lid/filter in their when you fill up, then be sure to use your clean dry hand to replace the lid rather than the one you just dunked into the stinking bog water. This is not so much to protect the filter but to try and ensure you don't cover your drinking spout with gunk as it defeats the object of cleaning the water.

I have used some of the in line filter systems similar to a travel tap before and after 3 months of this system I would happily take up a challenge against any other water system on the market for speed and ease of use. I don't even bother to look at water now, if it is wet I just dunk in the bottle and drink way without a care.

[RedLeader]

Sounds like it works just like the travel tap. It was a great system but as far as I'm concerned, it was let down by the effort required to draw water out.

[Ed]

I've filled up from the lagan, puddles, even next to a sheep carcass with the water to go and been fine. It measures up in terms of purification.

Capacity isn't the best, but then you can fill up pretty much anywhere anyway.

Draw rate is a little slower than an ordinary bottle but doesn't get in the way of you getting a good glug when you're thirsty.

I rate it up there with a first aid kit in terms of safety, it makes undrinkable water drinkable in short order with no fuss.

[LandyLiam]

I've filled up from the lagan, puddles, even next to a sheep carcass

he probably threw the sheep on the stove too 

[Mourneman]

I've filled up from the lagan, puddles, even next to a sheep carcass

he probably threw the sheep on the stove too 

Leave no trace !

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