Drinking un-treated water in the US?

R

Rich275

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Aug 31, 2007
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Merry Christmas.
I tried searching, but haven't found what I'm looking for.
My question is, what do I need to do health wise after the fact, if I were to drink relatively clear, running water in the US, without having treated/filtered/boiled it? This would be out on a hike, camping, etc., not indoor, tap or hose water.
The same question applies to rain puddles that have recently been left?

Thanks
 
Tricky question to answer. If you don't know what's upstream or what the water table and groundwater pollution is like, you are taking a chance. No matter how clear and clean it seems.
 
I figured this would not have a simple answer. For the sake of the discussion, there are no known fouling sources upstream and the standing water is in the same area, but on dirt or grass.
My dog seems not to have suffered any ill effects from drinking this type of water, but he's a lab so it's hard to tell:)
 
Then again, you're in the PNW and I'm in north Jersey.
Breathing the air around here can be hazardous!
 
I have drank from a few untreated water sources in the past. These were all up in the high country of the most remote place in Wyoming so its a little more believable that they were clean. Now the best one that I was at was a spring coming straight out of the rock wall. There was a little cave that the water was just pouring out of the ceiling, crystal clear and ice cold, it was amazingly delicious. The thing to know is what is upstream. If you don't know don't drink it. Personally it is far to easy to add a couple of Katadyne tablets and wait 15 min then to risk it. But the reward can be worth the risk if you know what you are looking at.
 
Giardia AKA "Beaver Fever" is common, especially in areas with cattle upstream.

IIRC, it requires antibiotics to treat, and can be spread by birds... which are always potentially "upstream".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia


back in the day i've drank water from flowing streams with good aeration in the mountains with no ill effects. still "puddle" water with no aeration would be not very desirable IMHO unless you had some kind of filtration or treatment available. some of the "survival straw" disposable filters start for about $8 and are tiny with virtually no weight or bulk.

but like sex, it's probably best to use protection unless you know the source is clean. filters are compact and affordable, iodine is even more compact and even bleach is an option. treatments need time to take effect and filters give you drinkable water faster, but with some work involved.
 
Thirty five years ago I hiked the Colorado mountains with a buddy and he said it was OK to drink straight from the flowing streams. We did and neither got sick. I don't think I would do it today. Probably the streams are a little more polluted and I am a little wiser. :)
 
Almost 20 years ago my father and I took a hike through an area in New Mexico. We were going along, enjoying a lovely summer day, and saw what appeared to be a small waterfall. Both being thirsty, we drank pretty heavily from it before we moved on, and filled up our canteens from it. Later, when we got back, someone asked what we did for water, and we told them we drank from that waterfall. They looked at us with something akin to horror, and proceeded to tell us that was not a waterfall, but rather runoff from some farmland where cattle were regularly grazing and the grass was frequently sprayed with various pesticides and who-knows-what-else. Thankfully I come from a line of hard stomached individuals, and we didn't suffer any ill effects, but I think since then I have been fairly leery of drinking water I find outdoors.
 
I the more wilderness areas I would still worry about giardia (as mentioned) or cryptosporidium. Neither are going to make your hike much fun. I'm sure there are other less common illnesses but those 2 would be the big concerns.

In a survival situation I would take the chance, but just camping/hiking I would plan to treat/filter it somehow.
 
I used to drink water all the time from a spring that emerged from a solid granite cliff face in the woods behind my house in western N.C. , best tasting water I have ever drank.
 
It all depends on what was upstream. I drink untreated unfiltered water in the high Sierras all the time, but I would never dream of doing it in the foothills.
 
Just do some research about your area....

I'm from Jersey, even our processed water is likely going to kill me, so the thought of drinking anything in the 'wild' here is just crazy talk.

The shame is, the more documentaries I watch about industrial practices, mining, you name it and in areas I'd be sure were 'pure' wild areas...I wouldn't drink water in the open by choice unless it was a real necessity.
 
As an MLT, I have seen countless cases of Giardia. Giardiasis= explosive diarrhea, which can quickly turn dangerous in a wilderness situation. Best to avoid untreated water.

I have read, but do not know that pumpkin seeds make an excellent antiparisitic. Pack pumpkin seeds?
 
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As has been said, there's a huge range of filters, tablets and liquids available, some of which are pennies (bleach) and as such there should be no need to take avoidable risks with your health.

Going on a hike, pack some water cleaning gear!

There was a very good post here a few months ago by a member that got a water borne infection, I can't find it though, hopefully someone will link to it.
 
We have a filter for long term/camping use and usually bring tablets for anything overnight. Plus, I don't "out hike" my water needs on a day hike. I was really just curious about the health aftermath of having to use an untreated source.
 
If you have already done so and are more than a few days out and are not throwing mud from your arse than you are probably okay but you might want to call your doc and ask to be treated for parasites/worms if you are worried.
 
I have drank for Lake Tamagimi in Ontario Canada numerous times with no ill effects in the 1970s. I would not do it now. I drank water from high streams in Yosemite and other parts of the sierras with no ill effects, but I started purifying my water in the 80s after reading about the symptoms of Gardia. Not pleasant and the medicines to treat it are not pleasant to take. I would rather have a little soapy tast from Iodine, than get sick.
 
I drank some water in VA's Blue Ridge mountains a few years ago that I guess I didn't treat carefully enough. About ten or so days later, I had giardia-like symptoms that lasted a couple of weeks (although the worst of it was over after three or four days).

I had no method other than boiling available on that trip, and my theory is that I must have splashed som untreated water onto something that went in my mouth. Now I'm very careful and always have a chemical purifier or filter along.
 
after my last bout with guardia my doc informed me that very little h20 in the u.s. was safe any longer. guardia is funny---you can get weakness & stomach cramps for 3 days or so then improve. then 3 weeks or so the cycle keeps repeating every 3 weeks to a month fof a long time. only sulphur drugs [at that time] will eradicate it from your system. i caught it in oregon once & texas twice. purify your water.
dennis
 
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