Container for bleach (for water purification)

What sort of durable, small container could be used to add drops of bleach to drinking water for purification? I am concerned about bleach leaking in my pack but I suppose that a ziplock baggie would provide a little cheap insurance for that. How much bleach do you add per liter?


Thanks, ED

I don't use bleach to purify water, but I would think that a small saline (eyedrop) bottle would be perfect. Dump the saline, rinse the bottle and you should be in business.

Thanks chili, I thought about the eyedrop bottle but was concerned about the potential for a leak. My pack takes a beating when I'm out on the trail, I sit on it, lay on it, lean on it and other strange stuff. I was wanting something more sturdy.

What do you use for water purification?

ED,

What about THIS or maybe THIS

I thought about something like you are contemplating but if I give up my
water filter I would proably go to aqua mira

Good luck!

Tom,

I am happy with my water filter but that last overnight trip that You, Mark and I were on last Feb./March has forced me to consider puting a little bit of bleach in my first aid kit just incase cold weather makes the filter freeze up. That aqua mira looks like the ticket, a tablet form would be even better.

Ed,

Long ago, back in the stone age (the 70's) before water filters I used hylazone tablets. Since then the EPA won't let us use them.
Never got sick but the tablets take a very long time to desolve in COLD water. That is were something like aqura mira would be
better. Just a thought.

Have used the tablets and highly recommend, I dont bring a filter anymore. Never used this site to order them but a google search brings up a list of venders


http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP185-1.html

Usually I just use a container that I use my alcohol for. If it will hold thin alcohol then it will just about hold anything. I still put it in a zip lock though, one of the thick ones thats double zipped. You don't want to take a chance of that stuff getting out. Usually I use 2 drops per litter of 5% unscented. If your use to city water then you will not notice it. If your on a well, well you will notice it lol. There is a gov. web site out there talking about bleaching water but I be damn if I can find it. If I find it I will post it. Thought I had it bookmarked.

Thanks T Monkey That answers my question very well. The other guys have got me thinking about the aquamira, so I will check into that also. I would be very interested in that web site about bleaching water that you spoke of if you can find it. I will try and google it also.

Thanks, ED

I found it go HERE

OH thats not the one I had... mine went deeper into detail but its basically the same other than that site says 3 drops per litter. Still close enough.

I still cant find it.. but from the FDA it was 2 drops of 5 to 6% per litter 8 drops per gallon. Wait 30 min. I forget what it was for really cold water though.

Since I hike really fast when I'm solo, I opted for Iodine tabs, since my gravity filter is really slow. I can already be a few miles down the trail when the Iodine is finished, but I have really been loking into bleach. UL was going to try it, and I have been waiting for someone to talk more about it. I idn't know that TM used it, so now I gues I will give it a go in a few weeks

Preacha when Rodger and I did the BRT the one time that I got sick was the one time I had used the Iodine. Don't know if the two were related but it sure was a BIG coincidence. And the two paralleled one another. The only side effect I have suffered from the bleach was due to using 4 drops of bleach instead of two. It was like trying to drink pool water straight from the tablet when you put it in... had to pour it out lol. But like I said, anyone not use to city water or treated water at home will not like it. Also keep in mind that the tablets and iodine once opened has a shelf life. Pick individual packaged units that way you dont have to waste the entire bottle. But even my gravity system is less than a few oz. so I started this with the intention of experimentation. I doubt I ever carry a filter again or if I do it will be for a large group.

I will take mine with a group, but I think I will go bleach from now on. The bad thing is that I just installed a whole house water filter that filters out the chlorine from city water Oh well, I can handle it out in the field.

Also I carry a litter container to mix my concoction in where it can have time to settle while I drink on my other. The other thing is I can mix drink mixes in it instead of my bladder. I don't like to put mixes in there as its to damn hard to clean as it is and it keeps from cross contamination of the flavors. Also I use this container to scoop water with as when you scoop the threads on this container become contaminated and if you were to drink directly from this then the purpous of treating would be wasted. A simple one litter water bottle with large mouth is enough. Empty this wont hardly register on my postal scale.

I still use a filter. If I jettisoned it, I would go to aqua mira.

Anybody use these?


I am done with my filter (except for muddy water) it is just too slow. I am probably gonna use bleach but I can get these locally. Just looking at options.

Ed,

I haven't used them but I have read of others that use them with success. I am like you, got to find another way at least when I am by my self. My filter works great but still takes to long to pump..

I use a small bottle to carry bleach in, maybe 5 ml in size, that I found at an Army Surplus store. I think that it is used for machine oil or something like that. It has a twist top that has not shown any leakage. I carried this on my last two hikes and have had no problems.
The biggest advantage to bleach is that unless the water is very questionable, there is little waiting time, unlike iodine or Aqua Mira. I usually give it about 5 minutes, if that.
UL

Ed,
I found a good article on water purification on Thru-Hiker.
Thought I would share with the group. Go HERE to read it.

Tom.. thats an ok article but keep in mind that its a wee bit outdated. 03 from what I can gather. The FDA's on site states that 2 drops per liter is fine. This is typical I know but myself can attest that most people can't drink 4 drops per liter. Just ask east. He borrowed my bleach this past weekend and I had to jump him as he casually droped 3 drops in. He stated that "hell its only one more drop" lol. I don't think he wanted to admit to it but he was almost at a point of having to pour it out.. lol. I am still trying to find that document from the FDA but have yet to find it again.

Tom, that is a good info but I thought this was intersting.

Copied from the article:
"There is an argument for filters, however, whose main idea is that a filter allows you to drink your water immediately right at the source instead of carrying water while you're waiting for the disinfectant to work (20 minutes). By not carrying drinking water (1 qt - 2 lbs) you're actually carrying less even though the filter weighs 13.5 oz."

If the water is in your stomach aren't you carrying it any way and don't you want to carry water for later on down the trail.

I too saw that as was wondering what he would do when in an area he does not know and there are no water sources around. I know that he is being general but just wonder how many people esp. new to backpacking read that and take it for the way that it is wrote. Thats why I have always hesitated on putting things like that on a site. The only time I would carry a filter is if I know I wont have running water/ dirty water. I may carry one on the BFM here in a few weeks.

Trail Monkey wrote: I may carry one on the BFM here in a few weeks.

Filter and bleach or just filter?