Mountain water safe to drink?

golok

golok

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inwood172-bearcreek-600.jpg


When I was younger, my friends and I hiked up a nearby mountain.
At the end of the journey or half-way down, we would stop at a spring and helped ourselves with the cool water from the mountain spring.

The fact that I am telling you all about this indicates the water I drank was quite safe.

These days I am not so sure.

Some people say any mountain water is safe to drink.

Is that true?
 
If I remember correctly, over 90% of the world's surface water is polluted in some way and much of the underground waters are as well. Problems are, people relieving themselves in or near the waterways (lesson learned from toilet training), strip mining, clear cutting, road maintenance (tar, oil, salt etc), air pollutants, acid rain, natural runoff carrying heavy metals and other pollutants with it, illegally dumped toxins and GOD knows what else we've done in our quest of self destruction.:rolleyes: That said, unless there's a sign saying "HEY! This water is clean and cool and we just tested it for purity" I'm not trusting it.:barf:
 
Beautiful pic,however for someone to say any mountain water is safe to drink has not drank a lot of mountain water.When I was young we to would drink a lot of water from springs or drips from cliffs,but I dont do it anymore.The worst nasties are caused by people,second worst by animals.Any large body of moving water has a lot of runoff in it especially in mountainous terrain,thus lots of sediment and who knows what from all over.Ground water is generally the safest providing its obtained from underground or at least from its source.I have had well water for over 30 years with no problems,best tastin water anywhere.But thats not to say that all well water is good,there may have been strip mines in the area which included blasting that disturbed undergroung aquifers,or perhaps there was dumping in an area,so on ,and so on.when backpacking in the backcountry I always try to obtain the freshest water and then I filter or boil it.Choose a small branch or spring that flows into a larger creek and then try to find a still pool with less sediment to stir up.A lot of nasties that invade your system may have a lot to do with your physical condition as well,in a true survival situation your body may become weakened due to dehydration or lack of food or injury,infection,etc.. This may lend itself to cause you to more easily become sick by what you eat or drink.The last thing you want is another problem in an already bad situation.It is also true that mountain water may have less sediment in it due to being high up not allowing water to collect for any length of time,still it should be filtered or boiled.I feel that water preparation is the #1 priority of all survivors,barring injury or immediate shelter needs of course.
 
I've only encountered 1 mountian spring that was safe to drink... they had someone out every 2 weeks to test it.

out at one of the small retreats we have here, that gets used for scouts and school outings(it WAS Scouts Canada land a long time ago(20-30yrs ago)).It holds 40ppl(lodgings for), and the spring holds about 50L of water.

My sister has recieve beaver fever from one of our provincial parks, by drinking thier "drinking water". I used the 5L I took in the van for the weekend, and bought pop after that. I even cooked with the 5L b/c I don't trust other places for water. I was safe, we was sick as hell for a couple weeks after.
 
When I was about 10, I went hiking with my cousin and on his certifying that this stream was 100% pure spring water we both drank from it. Went round the bend and there were several cows standing in this 100% pure spring water stream, upstream of our location, and one was in the very act of urinating in the water. I will not drink water unless I personally see it bubble up from the ground. I've never gotten sick from anything, YET, but now that portable filters are available, using these to filter the water first seems like a very common-sense thing to do.
 
Many many years ago when I was on a school trip in Northumberland we saw came across a lovely clean looking cool stream and some people went to drink some and were given a resounding NO from the teacher.

200 yards up stream we found a sheep carcas in the water.
 
Most streams in North America are contaminated with Giardia, which is a truly nasty parasite.

Iodine tablets or a good filter can decrease the risk significanly, although you should still be very careful with untreated water.

Beyond giardia and numerous other parasites, there are natural and man-made contaminates in many streams. Especially around old mines.

For example: A campground I frequented in Utah had a potable spring in the early 1900's. Unfortunately, it is now in close proximity to a certain military facility which stores chemical weapons. An accident in the 60's killed thousands of sheep in the vicinity of the campground. The spring is no longer marked as potable. Even if it was marked potable, I would still bring my own water.

Some springs are also contaminated naturally, with all sorts of heavy elements (lead, mecury, uranium, etc).

Personally, I would stick with using a good ceramic water filter.

You're better safe than sorry.

In an absolute survival type situation, I would drink un-purified water. But otherwise.. No way!

-- Rob
 
I have a $20 filter from Bi-Mart that will take out the bio-nasties, but I'm not sure if it will remove metals, chemicals, etc.

I do have some select locations where I drink straight from the spring. I have covered the springs with logs and sticks to keep critters from sipping from the pools I dug out. They can drink from the flow of water as it flows away from the spring. When I'm out hunting I know I can go to the closest spring, remove its cover and drink deeply and refill my canteen. Nothing tastes better. And it feels good to drink straight from the earth.
 
In my opinion you can not spend to much when your health is involved.Spend $60 and get a PUR Hiker filter.They can be ordered from campmor or cabelas and are very trustworthy.I have used one for years and not even replaced the filter yet.
 
I LOVE drinking fresh mountain creek water! One of my challenges whenever I am in the bush is to find clean creek water, preferably in the mountains, and drink as much of it as I can. Even take some home and put it in the fridge to drink every now and then to remember my escape to the wilderness.
When I go camping/hiking I nearly always have a reasonably accurate map of the area, a topographic map if i can. When I look for drinking water I look at the catchment area. If it is rural or farmed, I don't touch the water unless its been distilled or purified (boiled if in doubt). I also look for the location of public toilets, picnic areas and camping grounds when I'm in national parks.
A rule of thumb I have found is that the smallest creeks in wilderness mountain areas seem to have the nicest water. A straw or tube of some kind is very handy. I try and add a piece of tubing in my survival kits, also for retreiving water from a still. I have also found that a needle with thread wrapped around it will slide into the tubing very neatly.

I have often wondered what naturally occurring chemicals are in some of those mountain creek waters to make me feel soo good. Almost like drinking fresh air.
 
It is often forgotten that even if there is not farm land nearby, there is always lots of wildlife in wilderness areas that are accustomed to relieving themselves in beautiful mountain streams. It is my understanding that this is where much of the giardia contamination comes from.

Sheltowee
 
Well, found a link, thought I should add it here.

CDC Giardiasis Fact Sheet

Here is a quick summary:
Giardiasis, caused by the parasite Giardia. Starts 1-2 weeks after exposure. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and upset stomach and last 2-6 weeks. Highly infectious.

----------------

The spore is highly resistant to heat, cold, and adverse conditions and can be effective for a period of YEARS. It affects wild animals, livestock, and humans.

Almost any ingested amount of un-purified water can cause infection. Even washing your face could be potentially hazardous. And, something like 90% of North American streams are contaminated.

I personally don't have the time for chronic diarrhea, and don't find it worth the risk to drink "pure" water.

And, the really scary thing is: Giardia is mild compared with some other water parasites.

If I want good, cold, pure spring water - it's available at my local grocery store.

Be safe; use a filter or purification tablets with un-purified water.

-- Rob
 
I know I'm opening myself up for a flame here, but I can't resist. I have to wonder if some of our susceptibility is due to LACK of exposure. Not that we should intentionally expose ourselves to giardia, cryptosporidium, etc., but I have to think that those who have always sipped wild water will be less likely to succumb to some of these nasties. The strongest people I know are those who grew up eating dirt pies, while the most sickly I know are those who have kept themselves in sterile environs.

I am NOT advocating drinking foolishly from any stream you happen across, but I do think that you can educate yourself to a point where you can recognize many safe water sources. I guess I tend to think this way because I'm a primitive-skills nut: I like to believe that I can still find some of the old ways in our modern world. But, as mentioned above, I also carry a filter...
 
Just because its in the stream, doesn't mean its right there where the water comes "springing" out of the earth. 15' further downstream
sure.
All the same, with those neat little portable filter available for around $30 or less, why take the chance.
 
Originally posted by coyotlviejo
I have to wonder if some of our susceptibility is due to LACK of exposure.
Click to expand...

You make a good point, actually. Some people experience no symptoms from Giardia/etc at all, even when supposedly infected.

I've been swimming and rafting in waters that I KNOW were contaminated with giardia, and I accidentally swallowed at least a good pint or two of the water with no ill effect.

People may have been more resistant in the good old days, but, then again, the weak generally just up and died in the "good old days".

I do think that the natural environment has changed somewhat, as humans export and generally spread some pretty nasty bacteria and viruses across the world. This has displaced a lot of the bacteria that were once native to the area with aggresive new species.

I agree with you on the sterile environment thing - those that stay indoors, use anti-bacterial soaps, are nuts about cleaning - seem to always be the ones that get the wierd diseases. I think its healthy to get good and dirty outdoors every once in a while.

-- Rob
 
I went to Canada over the summer and took a tour that brought us onto a glacier. I went above everybody and filled a water bottle with the water that came from the glacier. If that isn't clean enough, then I don't know what is. Probably the "best" water I've ever had.
 
The higher up the mountain you go the more dead animals you find in the streams. Glacier water may have had hundreds of years to collect impurities; fresh melted snow is better. Some sandstone springs give out good water but then you have to have local knowledge as it could as easily be a drain mouth.

If you were a kid local to an area then your immune system may well cope; but travel elsewhere and it won't be so good. The saying goes that you eat several bags of dirt before you die. I've taken down my fare share of river water ans had no adverse effects but given the choise I'd prefer not to.

Where there are a lot of people and animals then its a really bad idea. There are plenty of good portable purifying systems on the market - use one. Puritabs and boiling (boil for a good time) is the next best thing.

Dehydration can damage your system fast (kidneys)or even kill you. Do drink the cleanest water you can find and when back in civilisation have yourself fixed. Do tell the medical team where you have just got back from (last few months); especially if it was somewhere exotic as your flew symtoms could be the first signs of something real bad. Lastly, if it isn't a five star hotel then question where the water comes from.
 
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