How careful with water?

[seww]

So where I come from, Northern Sweden, the water is clean and safe to drink, pretty much anywhere. With the spring run-off the water is bad, but that's it.

And over here in the US, we have to deal with giardia. I know a water filter will take care of 99% of the virus and parasites in the water for drinking.
But how much water do you need to swallow to experience symptoms?

If you wash your face and get a few drops in your mouth?
You wash your hands in the stream, they dry and you eat a sandwich?

I'm just inexperienced with this issue. And it sucks, I love water and hate to carry it.

 

[ShakeDown]

Not sure exactly why Sweden’s water wouldn’t contain contaminates. The running water in the US is not the issue, it is potential contamination from microbes - bacterial and viral. Giardia you mentioned, usually due to upstream animal fecal contamination.

If you’re traveling in an area with a water source, carry a way to treat the water.

Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling | Drinking Water | Healthy Water | CDC

Drinking contaminated water can make you sick with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Learn how to make water safe when hiking, camping, or traveling abroad.

www.cdc.gov

 

[ShakeDown]

If you get giardia from washing your hands and eating a sandwich... then you were destined to get sick

 

[EastHumboldt]

you don’t need to worry about a few drops here and there. I get water in my mouth when swimming in the river or lake and I’ve never had giardiasis. Dry your hands and dishes and you’ll be fine, they need water to live. In the back country I filter all my drinking water, and boil cooking water for at least one minute if it’s not filtered. Others may have different experience but thats mine.

I also carry in my pack a piece of 3/8” pvc tubing two feet long with a screen on one end. If I find a spring on slope I shove that in there and voila, spring water.

 

[seww]

Not sure exactly why Sweden’s water wouldn’t contain contaminates. The running water in the US is not the issue, it is potential contamination from microbes - bacterial and viral. Giardia you mentioned, usually due to upstream animal fecal contamination.

If you’re traveling in an area with a water source, carry a way to treat the water.

Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling | Drinking Water | Healthy Water | CDC

Drinking contaminated water can make you sick with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Learn how to make water safe when hiking, camping, or traveling abroad.

www.cdc.gov

It's because we have no people, no industries and no cattle in the Northern parts. So, so far we've managed to avoid any contaminates. But it is changing, more and more people come outdoors and bring more fecal matter that is getting into the waters with time..

I'm in Idaho and going to try and hike and hunt this Spring/Summer/Fall so trying to educate myself to avoid getting sick.

 

[seww]

If you get giardia from washing your hands and eating a sandwich... then you were destined to get sick

Good to hear, thanks!

 

[seww]

you don’t need to worry about a few drops here and there. I get water in my mouth when swimming in the river or lake and I’ve never had giardiasis. Dry your hands and dishes and you’ll be fine, they need water to live. In the back country I filter all my drinking water, and boil cooking water for at least one minute if it’s not filtered. Others may have different experience but thats mine.

What about high elevation? If there's a small stream or lake at 8000+ feet? Risks even up there or is it just better to be safe than sorry?

 

[Ross]

Just don’t drink the waterhaving had giardia from drinking at a little backcountry seep not worth the riskit was bad aNd required meds and I wasted 3 days off! I was plain stupid and fou sure knew better

 

[seww]

Just don’t drink the waterhaving had giardia from drinking at a little backcountry seep not worth the riskit was bad aNd required meds and I wasted 3 days off! I was plain stupid and fou sure knew better

I figured. Gonna make sure to get filters and tablets for emergencies.
I read somewhere that in Montana, once you get high enough, it's pretty safe to drink the water.

But Im not gonna take any chances..

 

[WildNevada]

There are so many good (and lightweight) options for filtering or treating water that I would not recommend drinking any water you have not treated. I've used MSR and Katadyn water filters and the Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini filters. We used to use Potable Aqua tablets, but I didn't like the taste and I think they're only meant for emergencies. The Steripen is also very popular. Boiling also makes water safe to drink.
I bathe and swim in high country lakes I wouldn't drink from without treating and have never been sick from those activities.

 

[orionsbrother]

I know someone who contracted giardiasis fly fishing a stream. Doctor suggested it probably occurred tying on a new fly and using teeth to pull the tag end. Who knows? No water had been drunk from the stream.

Sometimes you win the reverse lottery.

Pretty safe to say “More... more bad.” but it’s possible to get the wrong bit in a tiny exposure.

I don’t worry about swimming, wading or fly fishing, but I filter what I drink and use to wash dishes and utensils

 

[nphunter]

I personally don’t worry about it and drink out of a lot of springs and creeks. I’ve known one person who has gotten sick while hunting in many years. If I were traveling out of state hunting I probably wouldn’t risk messing up a hunt but I do it all the time around home and have been for close to 40 years with no issues.
I wouldn’t drink out of a cow pasture but a seep coming straight from the ground or a high mountain ice cold stream I’m totally fine with.

 

[fmyth]

I got Giardia from riding my Seadoo on a lake. I didn't drink any of the water but the spray from riding the Seadoo gets all over you. I can only assume that I got a few drops in my mouth. I will say that after having Giardia I am extra careful when filtering my water. No way in hell I want to get sick again. People who have never had it often think its no big deal. I still deal with some long term effects of the Giardia and or the antibotics used to treat it. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Google:

"LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF GIARDIASIS"​

 

[fmyth]

Just don’t drink the waterhaving had giardia from drinking at a little backcountry seep not worth the riskit was bad aNd required meds and I wasted 3 days off! I was plain stupid and fou sure knew better

I agree. What most people dont realize is that it can take 3 weeks for the symptoms to appear. Some people have mild symptoms and never realize they have been exposed. Others are not so lucky and become sick within 24 hours.

 

[robtattoo]

I tell you what, it's a mistake you'll only make once.....

 

[seww]

I tell you what, it's a mistake you'll only make once.....

View attachment 258727

Haha nice.. why anyone would shit like that I don't know..

 

[seww]

Thanks for the tips guys! Appreciate it! I tried googling this but you only find that the water is bad.
I will for sure be more careful and get a proper water filter system.

 

[dieselchessy]

I’ve had guardia and tape worms. Giardia likely from tubing rapids, and worms when I drank from streams and seeps in Alaska as a kid.
I filter or UV, or tablets my water now days.
I also have/had lingering issues. Some type Irritable bowl syndrome, sensitivity to spicy foods, sensitivity to dairy (might be just due to age), easily get gassy and bloated.
It was a slow 2 year gradual recovery for me. The stuff can tear up your guts bad and you might not just snap right out of it. The drugs pretty well kill off all your digestive bacteria also nocking you for a loop.
One of the drugs they can give for bacterial infection has a tendency to cause ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Fun stuff.

 

[Phaseolus]

Giardia is a protozoan, not a bacteria, in case anyone is wondering. I’m kind of a science geek.

 

[robtattoo]

Haha nice.. why anyone would shit like that I don't know..

Didn't have a choice. Barely got my pants down & slightly bent over, then firehosed.