# Long term water filtration on the road



## Joni (Dec 3, 2013)

In another thread some are/were talking about water filtration while on the road. over the years i have learned the hard way that yes you need some form of filtration while traveling because our society as a whole has really f***ed our water supply. This messed up water is in comparison to preindustrial age which is only a very short time of a hundred years ago. Many of the chemicals in the water are prescription drugs, pesticides, benzene from gas/diesel engines, oils at the road side, and metal contamination. The biological are another story unto them self.

*Viruses present in water (wiki)*

"Sewage contaminated water contains many viruses, over one hundred species are reported and can lead to diseases that affect human beings. For example hepatitis, gastroenteritis, meningitis, fever, rash, and conjunctivitis can all be spread through contaminated water. More viruses are being discovered in water because of new detection and characterization methods, although only some of these viruses are human pathogens.[4]"

This sums it up quite well. Years ago i got all of my vaccinations. It is a good idea to keep up on these even if you’re just traveling within your own region. Think of it as a precaution to cover your backside. This is especially true with Hepatitis which is fully preventable with vaccinations and is transmittable through bad water.

Bad water by definition is not really what most would think. For instance, i was camping in Montana land of the big sky and plains. My water source was a natural spring. The water coming out of it was super clear and pretty tasty. On my return trip for a resupply of water i noticed some things while sitting and enjoying nature. One there were these little black blobs that kind of looked like rocks. I took a stick and poked at one and it wasn't a rock it was a fresh water leech! And to think some people in camp were drinking the water strait from the tap without boiling!!  personally i would rather not have any parasites alive inside my body as there were several leaches upon closer inspection. Some of those were barely visible thin as hair. Ingesting leaches would totally make for a bad week. :O sitting there i followed where this spring probably came from. Looking up hill i could see cow doo-doo everywhere. :/ now the old saying sh** rolls downhill came to mind here. Now that i think about it may have come from the old cowboy days. Water flows downhill and takes many contaminate with it. in this case in Montana the water was contaminated badly with cow stuff, wild animal stuff and leaches >.> ewwww!! (It is watering hole the size of a lunch box used by the local animal population. just look for tracks and you know how well it’s used.) This water was crystal clear and tasted great. Ok ok... i may be paranoid but better safe than sorry. So at that time i had a filter of questionable ability, this was in late 1990's. So this contaminated water got filtered and boiled. The filter was a paper element type with foam prefilter.
What is contaminated water? Well it is anything that contains things that can harm or are not wanted the individual. This could be minerals, chemicals, parasites, viruses, sewage, drugs, debris, and organic compounds. It is amazing how things can be lurking in a crystal clear water source. I have traveled most of the United States and noticed drastic differences in water quality form faucet to faucet. It just one of those things you learn as you travel. But then i noticed i felt sick in some areas from the water. I knew this because water was about all i had all day. I changed or cleaned my water and felt a million times better within a day or so. Ever since then i have drank bottled water packed in my home region or filtered everything. These days i have a tendency to filter everything at home because of the fluoride and chlorine content in our water here. An activated carbon filter works for filtering chlorides.
Even our home source of water is contaminated. News stories are abound which describes high contents of chemicals and prescriptions drugs in tap water. Which water treatment plants have a hard time dealing with stuff we put down the drain thats not suppose to go there. You would be surprised how much raw sewage is released into our rivers and streams every day. ick!!!  so a person could only imagine what it would be like on the road. Trust me it can get pretty bad when trying to find good water to work with. Stuck in the middle of nowhere and all you got is a small pond full of frog eggs, tannins (that dark brown stuff from oak trees), and water that is not moving. >.< doh!!

This water you have to filter some way. Tablets won't here because the tannins can make you sick. It’s kind of like drinking out of a vat at a tannery. ^-^ In this scenario i would prefilter with a coarse prefilter ->cotton fiber(basically cotton balls)->activated carbon->stage 1->stage 2->stage 3.

Most of this filtering style is modular and you could take sludge in on one side and get crystal clear water out on the other. Stages 1-3 are successively smaller micron elements of whatever medium you can get your hands on. i.e. 0.1->0.2->0.3 the stage 3 filter you should go as small as you can get in microns. If you can only get one stage micro filter go with the smallest micron filter you can get. It may save your life.
The downside to such micro filters is that they can plug quickly in the field. Like in that pond in was talking about earlier. I had to clean, boil, reassemble three times before i got a 2 liter bottle of water with the standard filter set up. So, if i only had a single stage micro filter while on the road i would prefilter everything before it gets to the primary filter. I use a fine mesh screen->foam filter->coffee filter->activated carbon cartridge->single stage micro filter pump to get as much stuff gone before its hits that primary filter. After use dry all the parts as best you can. Then i boil to kill anything that the filter(s) missed in really sketchy water.
Usually i end up with some pretty darn fancy water very close to distilled but without stripping the good stuff out of the water that your body needs. (That’s a whole nother article in itself) boiling your water is pretty easy most of the time. If in the summer black top/solar is pretty good at making hot water out of a water bottle for sanitizing Spring/fall I would carry fire of whatever means. You need at least 160 degrees a far as health code is concerned.

Now don't be fooled by marketing on some of these pumps. Read all the information on one carefully. These companies can get pretty sneaky. Open the box and read the FDA/CDC/EPA information. For example; I had the same filter in my hands and one had different microns filtering capacity than the newer model with all the same claims on the packaging with the same looks.
You can build your own filter pretty easy. However this filter would have "no proof of theory" that it does the job. That is why i use a commercially available filter. Commercial filters have a whole mess of data to back it up and a bunch of people that drank some preeety nasty water through the filter before you bought the same model  Most of the parts you need to make a water filter can be had at a pet shop with a good aquarium center. They have to filter those fish tanks somehow?!?!?? :O 
Many of the filter products can be cross referenced as to how small they filter down to. Put the filter mediums in sequence big to small to give your micro filter a hand and to catch some stuff it can/cannot get. Some of these parts can be replaced in camp like carbon powder/block, cotton batting/cloth, foam filter etc. Whereas the ceramic filter most likely needs a trip to a major city if you were to have to replace it.

What it really comes down to is those micro filter elements that they sell commercially are pretty darn expensive for someone traveling long term. The best policy is to prefilter as much as you can to give your micro filter element the longest life span possible. In some cases you can extended life span of the filter. Yes you can plug them up on your first use strait out of the box but that’s what they don’t tell you! Lol  been there done that testing a mud puddle for drinkable water. It worked though! I proceeded to go buy a new micro filter element after that stunt. A $40 lesson learned that I can pass the knowledge on to you.

This style of filtration opens up many potential places that you can filter water from that would otherwise clog a standard microfilter. Below I have included some useful info on water filtration from reputable sources. So after ten plus years on the road i am still alive. Lol…. hoping for many more to come. I wish you luck in your travels and journeys.


-Joni

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

Michigan State University Extension

Home Maintenance and Repair - 01500610
06/24/03

A Point-of-Entry (POE) system is more appropriate if a contaminant is present that poses a health threat from general use as well as from consumption. Volatile organic compounds and radon are examples of this type of contaminant. These contaminants may get into the indoor air when water is used for showering and washing. In this case, it is more economical to have a large POE system that treats water as it enters the home than to have POU systems at each tap.

AC filters used for home water treatment contain either granular activated carbon (GAC) or powdered block carbon. The amount of AC in a filter is one of the most important characteristics affecting the amount and rate of pollutant removal. More carbon in a cartridge means more capacity for chemical removal, resulting in longer cartridge lifetime. This means fewer cartridge changes and less chance of drinking contaminated water. Particle size will also affect the rate of removal; smaller AC particles generally show higher adsorption rates.

Rust, scale, sand or other sediments can clog any AC filter. A solution to this problem is to place foam or cotton filters (often called sediment or fiber filters) between the cartridge and incoming water. When sediment filters become clogged, they need to be replaced or they will cause water pressure to drop.

An AC filter must be deep enough so that the pollutants will adsorb to the AC in the time it takes the water to move through the filter. The appropriate filter depth depends on the flow rate of water through the filter. The slower the flow rate, the better the removal. The poor performance of some end-of-faucet devices is probably due to improper filter depth.

Physical and chemical characteristics of the water will also affect performance. The acidity and temperature can be important. Greater acidity and lower water temperatures tend to improve the performance of AC filters. AC filters have a limited lifetime. Eventually, the surface of the AC will be saturated with adsorbed pollutants and no further purification will occur. This is called breakthrough --- the pollutants have broken through the filter to emerge in the treated water. When this occurs, it is possible that the contaminant concentrations in the treated water will be even higher than those in the untreated water. At this time, the cartridge needs to be replaced. Knowing when breakthrough will occur and thus when to replace the cartridge is a major problem with AC treatment.

Some cartridges are sold with predictions about their longevity. These are generally only crude estimates since they do not take into consideration factors that are characteristic to a specific water source, such as pollutant concentration. The retailer you purchase the treatment device from can make better estimates of the filter's useful lifetime based on water usage (flow rate) and pollutant concentrations shown in the chemical analysis. Hence, to get the most accurate estimates, you should learn what these amounts are before purchasing the system. Note that if pollutant concentrations increase over time and testing is not performed to reveal this change, such estimates may turn out to be not very practical or useful.

Unfortunately, AC filters can be excellent places for bacteria to grow. Conditions for bacterial growth are best when the filter is saturated with organic contaminants, which supply the food source for the bacteria, and when the filter has not been used for a long period of time. It is still unclear whether the bacteria growing on the carbon poses a health threat. Some manufacturers have placed silver in the AC in order to prevent the growth of bacteria. The effectiveness of this procedure has not been independently verified. In addition, silver may contaminate the drinking water.

The above considerations have led public health officials to consider AC home treatment a temporary solution to be used only until the source of contamination can be eliminated and the water supply is safe. Even with proper installation, maintenance and operation, malfunction of home water treatment systems can occur.

AC Filter Guidelines

1. Make sure the filter contains AC.

2. Know the quantity of AC in the filter since this will determine the amount and rate of pollutant removal.

3. Use prefilter to add life to AC filters.

4. Replace prefilters and AC filters regularly.

5. Determine appropriate intervals for replacement of AC filters based on contaminant concentration, water characteristics, water flow rate, depth of filter, type and amount of AC and prefilter. Retailers can help in this analysis.


This information comes from Michigan State University Extension bulletin WQ23, Home Water Treatment Using Activated Carbon.




*3/91*

*Cooperative Extension Service,*

*Purdue University*

*Home Water Treatment Using Activated Carbon*

*Michael Kamrin, Nancy Hayden,Barry Christian, Dan Bennack and Frank D'Itri*
Michigan State University*

Activated carbon (AC) filters primarily remove taste and odors in home water treatment systems. Taste and odor, although undesirable, are generally not considered health risks. In recent years, AC filters have been used to remove some of the contaminants discovered in water supplies.

AC effectively removes organic compounds such as volatile organic compounds, pesticides and benzene. It can also remove some metals and radon. As with any treatment system, it cannot eliminate all possible drinking water contaminants.

AC systems are limited in the types of compounds they can effectively remove. The homeowner must determine which water contaminants are present before purchasing such a system. If you suspect a water quality problem, first, have your water analyzed by the local health department or a reputable laboratory. These analyses may be costly, but worth the expense. They are necessary to determine the appropriate home treatment system and how best to operate the system. A state or local health official can interpret water analysis results. Some laboratories may also provide this service.

Home water treatment should be considered only a temporary solution. The best solutions to a contaminated drinking water problem are to stop the practices causing the contamination or to change water sources.

*Activated Carbon*

AC is a black, solid substance resembling granular or powdered charcoal. It is extremely porous with a very large surface area. One ounce of AC has an estimated 30,000 square yards of surface area. Certain contaminants collect on the surface of the AC in a process called adsorption.

The two main reasons chemicals adsorb onto AC are a ''dislike'' of the water, and an attraction to AC. Adsorption of most contaminants results from a combination of these reasons. Many organic compounds, such as chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents, gasoline, pesticides and trihalomethanes can be adsorbed by AC. AC effectively removes chlorine and is moderately effective in removing some heavy metals. AC will also remove metals bound to organic molecules. Fluoride, chloride, nitrate, hardness (calcium and magnesium) and most metal ions are not removed by AC to any significant degree.

Carbon is not necessarily the same as AC. AC removes far more contaminants from water than does ordinary carbon. Figure 1 shows how contaminants adsorb onto an activated carbon filter.

*AC Filters*

Home AC treatment systems are quite simple. The AC is normally packaged in filter cartridges inserted into the treatment device. Water needing treatment passes through the cartridge, contacting the AC on its way to the faucet. AC filters eventually become fouled with contaminants and lose their ability to adsorb pollutants. The filters then need replacement.

AC treatment systems are typically point-of-use (POU) installed where they treat water used only for drinking and cooking. AC filters can be placed on the end of the faucet, on the countertop or under the sink. Tests show under-the-sink models generally have more carbon and provide superior performance and greater convenience than faucet or countertop models.

POU systems often have a bypass so water for purposes other than drinking and cooking can be dispensed at the tap without being treated. The bypass increases the life of the AC, reducing the time between filter replacements.

A point-of-entry (POE) system is more appropriate if large quantities of contaminants exist. Or if contaminants pose a health threat from general use as well as from consumption. Volatile organic compounds and radon are examples of this type of contaminant. These contaminants may get into the indoor air from water used for showering and washing. In such cases, a large POE system, which treats water as it enters the home, is more economical than a POU system at each tap.

AC filters used for home water treatment contain either granular activated carbon (GAC) or powdered block carbon. Although both are effective, one study comparing GAC with block AC filters showed block AC filters were more effective in removing chlorine, taste and halogenated organic compounds.

The amount of AC in a filter is one of the most important features. It affects the amount and rate of pollutant removal. More carbon in a cartridge means more capacity for chemical removal, resulting in a longer cartridge lifetime. This means fewer cartridge changes and less chance of drinking contaminated water. Particle size will also affect the rate of removal; smaller AC particles generally show higher adsorption rates.

Rust, scale, sand or other sediments can clog an AC filter. Foam or cotton filters (often called sediment or fiber filters) placed between the cartridge and incoming water solve the problem. When sediment filters become clogged, they need to be replaced or they will cause water pressure to drop.

An AC filter must be deep enough so pollutants will adsorb to the AC in the time it takes the water to move through the filter. The filter depth required depends on the flow rate of water through the filter. The slower the flow rate, the better the removal. The poor performance of some end-of-faucet devices is probably due to improper filter depth.

Physical and chemical characteristics of the water will also affect performance. Acidity and temperature can be important. Greater acidity and lower water temperatures tend to improve the performance of AC filters.

*Operation, Maintenance and Cost*

AC filters have a limited lifetime. Eventually, the surface of the AC becomes filled with adsorbed pollutants, and no further treatment occurs. 'Break-through' takes place when pollutants break through the filter and emerge in the treated water. Contaminant concentrations in the treated water can possibly be even higher than those in the untreated water. The cartridge then needs to be replaced. Knowing when breakthrough will occur and when to replace the cartridge is a major problem with AC treatment.

Unfortunately, no alarms accompany breakthrough. Unless the pollutants are smelled or tasted, they can be unknowingly consumed. In most cases, break-through can be positively verified only by chemical testing. Frequent chemical testing is impractical and expensive. However, occasional sampling may be useful in helping to predict when breakthrough will occur and alert the user to replace the filter before it happens.

Some cartridges are sold with predictions about their longevity. These are generally only crude estimates since they do not consider the characteristics of a specific water source, such as pollutant concentration. The retailer from whom you purchase the treatment device can better estimate a filter's useful lifetime based on water usage (flow rate) and pollutant concentrations, shown in the chemical analysis. To make the most accurate estimates, you should learn what these amounts are before purchasing the system. If pollutant concentrations increase over time, and without testing done to reveal the change, such estimates may not be very practical or useful.

The water flow rate through the filter can either be estimated or measured with a flow meter installed near the AC filter. The retailer can calculate the maximum allowable number of gallons which can pass through the filter before breakthrough occurs. The homeowner can then replace the filter when the number is reached. Remember, any prediction for filter replacement must be based on the actual pollutant concentrations present in the water. The necessity of an initial water analysis and periodic routine analyses becomes all the more important.

Some systems claim the device will alert the user when the cartridge should be changed. The claims state a pressure drop across the filter occurs when the cartridge needs replacement. A drop in water pressure may or may not result from saturation of the filter. Saturation and breakthrough may occur long before a filter becomes sufficiently clogged to cause excess pressure drop. These types of devices may not protect you.

Predicting when breakthrough will occur is not always easy or accurate. It may be beneficial to replace the cartridge more often than the manufacturer recommends. In some cases cartridge replacement should be performed twice as often as recommended by the manufacturer. Drop in water pressure, change in taste or sediment in the water indicate filter malfunction. When these occur, the cartridge should be replaced.

AC filters can be excellent places for bacteria to grow. A filter saturated with organic contaminants, or one that has not been used for a long time, provides ideal conditions for bacterial growth. A saturated filter supplies the food source for the bacteria. It is still unclear whether bacteria growing on the carbon pose a health threat. Some manufacturers place silver in the AC to prevent bacterial growth. The effectiveness of the silver has not been independently verified. In addition, the silver may contaminate the drinking water.

The above considerations have led public health officials to consider AC home treatment a temporary solution. It should be used only until the source of contamination can be eliminated and the water supply is safe. Even with proper installation, maintenance and operation, malfunction of home water treatment systems can occur.

AC filters vary in cost as much as in effectiveness. Good under-the-sink models cost between $200 and $700, while POE devices can cost as much as $3,000. End-of-faucet devices can be purchased for as low as $10. (NOTE: Dollar values are provided as a rough guide to compare costs of different systems. Current prices are likely to be higher than those quoted.)

*Activated Carbon Filter Guidelines*


Make sure the filter contains AC.
Know the quantity of AC in the filter. This determines the amount and rate of pollutant removal.
Use prefilters to add life to AC filters.
Replace prefilters and AC filters regularly.
Determine appropriate intervals for replacement of AC filters based on contaminant concentration, water characteristics, water flow rate, depth of filter, prefilter, type and amount of AC. Retailers can help in the analysis.
*Certification and Validation*

Certification of treatment products is available from independent testing laboratories, such as the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Results from NSF tests provide good measures of the effectiveness of devices designed to treat water for both esthetic and health reasons. The Water Quality Association (WQA) is a self-governing body of manufacturers and distributors. WQA offers voluntary validation program to its members. Validation is less stringent than certification. Certification or validation does not ensure effective treatment; all systems must be designed for each particular situation and maintained properly.

*Summary*

Home water treatment using AC is one option often used by people with a drinking water quality problem. AC is considered the best home method for treating certain organic compounds. However, it is not recommended for metals and other ions commonly found in drinking water.

The selection of an AC filter should be based upon water analysis and a thorough assessment of the individual homeowner's situation. A well-informed decision is a your best insurance for protecting health.

*For Further Information*

For further information on water quality contact your county Cooperative Extension office or local health department. The following bulletins in the WQ series may also be helpful:

WQ 1 "Water Testing Laboratories"

WQ 2 "What Is Ground Water?"

WQ 3 "How to Take a Water Sample"

WQ 4 "Why Test Your Water?"

WQ 5 "Interpreting Water Test Results Part One: Inorganic Materials"

WQ 6 "Buying Home Water Equipment"

WQ 9 "Water Quality for Animals"

WQ 10 "Wetlands and Water Quality"

WQ 11 "Sulphur Water Control"

WQ 12 "Distillation For Home Water Treatment"

WQ 14 "Reverse Osmosis for Home Treatment of Drinking Water"

WQ 16 "Bacterial Contamination of Household Water"

*References*

Kamrin, Michael, Nancy Hayden, Barry Christian, Dan Bennack and Frank D'Itri, WQ 23 ``Home Water Treatment Using Activated Carbon,'' Cooperative Extension Service, Michigan State University, 1990.

_*Reviewed and revised by Adel Pfeil, Extension Specialist, Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing._

_Editor: Cheri L. Janssen, Department of Agronomy_

_Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, state of Indiana, Purdue University, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating; H. A. Wadsworth, Director, West Lafayette, IN. Issued in furtherance of the acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. The Cooperative Extension Service of Purdue University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution._


Rei has a good quick reference for filters and filter types

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/water-treatment-backcountry.html



CDC webpage on ceramic filters and the site suggests that a person could make a filter out of a flower pot

http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/ceramic-filtration.html


http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/PDF/Ceramic_2011-final.pdf



Here is the wiki on ceramic filters showing a Victorian age filter.

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


----------



## thomas mccoy (Dec 22, 2013)

jeesus.. is a lifestraw okay.. looks good enought to me..


----------



## L Intrepid (Dec 22, 2013)

Yeah lifestraws seem pretty great, but I'd like to know how well they function. Anyone got experience with 'me?


----------



## Joni (Dec 23, 2013)

life straws are pretty good from what i have heard but they have a very large downside. you can only get clean water from them via sucking on one. that means no water for morning coffee, food or whatever you can think of. this i belive is one its major flaws. its designed for oh crap situations where you are compleately boned and have no water at all. no if you plan on backpacking long term and eating dried food and sucking through a lifestraw, yes it will rock for that purpose. IMO i think that it would get tiresome pretty quick. i think there design target is get you by till you can get to a real water source.


its all a matter of preference...
-joni


----------



## thomas mccoy (Dec 24, 2013)

Joni said:


> life straws are pretty good from what i have heard but they have a very large downside. you can only get clean water from them via sucking on one. that means no water for morning coffee, food or whatever you can think of. this i belive is one its major flaws. its designed for oh crap situations where you are compleately boned and have no water at all. no if you plan on backpacking long term and eating dried food and sucking through a lifestraw, yes it will rock for that purpose. IMO i think that it would get tiresome pretty quick. i think there design target is get you by till you can get to a real water source.
> 
> 
> its all a matter of preference...
> -joni


i absolutly agree.. thanks


----------

