For many, one of the biggest deterrents of travelling to a developing country is the lack of access to basic needs, such as food and water. And despite the fact that access to clean drinking water is something that is available to just about everyone in the world these days, these are some countries where getting a hold of fresh water can be something of a problem.
Fortunately, there are a number of useful ways of always ensuring the water is clean and ready to drink, no matter what kind of state the water’s source is in.
Clean Water Tablets
Most outdoor stores will offer a variety of water cleaning tablets or pills. These usually come in packs of up to 50, are relatively cheap, and can be stored almost indefinitely. One tab is able to clean up to a single litre of water at a time, making them a great way of getting fresh water from an otherwise polluted source. These tablets, however, aren’t quite ideal, as they tend to contain harsh chemicals that may cause long term side effects if used too much. So, it’s a good idea to have these tablets on hand in case of emergencies.
Metal Drinking Bottle
One of the easiest ways to always have access to drinking water is by making use of a metal drinking bottle, as long as it isn’t one with any plastic lining. The idea is that the bottle can simply be filled up with water from a polluted source, and then added directly to a campfire or stove top. This will allow the water to boil inside the bottle, and as long as it reaches 100 degrees Celsius, it’s almost guaranteed to kill anything in the water and leave it clean and drinkable. It’s worth remembering that boiling water while dehydrated and in a hot environment can cause dehydration to accelerate, so it’s a good idea to always let the water cool down fully before drinking.
Drinking Straws
One up from the tablets are the drinking straws, which come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The general idea of a drinking straw is a device with an integrated filter that’s able to clean out all of the dirt and pollutants in the water. They are relatively easy to find and provide a very transportable means of always having access to clean drinking water. Perhaps the biggest drawback with a drinking straw is that their filters tend to wear out after a certain amount of use, meaning that they often have to be thrown away when finished. One way to get a round this is by acquiring a drinking straw that has a replaceable filter, but these tend to be significantly more expensive, and reusing an old filter it much riskier than betting on esports.
A similar device, known as a Grayl, works as a water bottle that has a replaceable filter built right in, which allows the user to filter water instantly. Similarly to the straws, the filters are quite expensive, but do last for quite a long time.