Clean Water

[jwhutch]

Hello everyone,

I am totally new to the expedition travel. I was wondering how you professional overlanders get clean water in the bush. Do you filter, or do you just stock up enough while in "town". Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I only filter when I'm backpacking and don't want to carry a huge amount of water. For backcountry overlanding and camping I carry all the clean water I need. For longer trips I have carried up to 50 gallons (15 gallon tank on my trailer and the rest in 5 gallon containers). That'll hold ya for awhile. :sombrero:

 

[mountainpete]

I only filter when I'm backpacking and don't want to carry a huge amount of water. For backcountry overlanding and camping I carry all the clean water I need. For longer trips I have carried up to 50 gallons (15 gallon tank on my trailer and the rest in 5 gallon containers). That'll hold ya for awhile. :sombrero:

50 US gallons is 417 lbs! That's a huge amount of water!

With that said, I agree - I carry in 99% of the water I need and unless I am hiking don't take out the filter that often around the truck.

Pete

 

[jwhutch]

Thanks for the replies. I guess where I was going with that would be on an extended trip, one of several days to week in duration. Again I am thinking back to when I was in Africa this summer and would not want to have to get water from some of their clean sources. Thanks again. Cool forum.

 

[mountainpete]

Jim,

If you have some time, post up some pictures of your experience in Africa in either the Photography or Completed Expeditions sections. For many of us, Africa feels like a long off dream and we love to live vicariously through others

Pete

 

[DaktariEd]

Greetings, jwhutch!
Welcome to ExPo. :wavey:
This is a great site. I think you'll like it here.
I'd love to hear more about your African experience. :camping:
There are quite a few of us here who have been to Africa; several have made very long expeditions! In fact, in another couple of months I'll be co-leading an off-road safari: ACF safari with my sister and brother-in-law.
As for your water question, I take 19 gallons in my Adventure Trailer (see my signature line) and another 5 or 10 in my Cruiser. Even on a multi-day trip I rarely use it all...less than half in fact...I am a very conservative user.

Glad to have you aboard!
Ed

 

[RobinP]

Thanks for the replies. I guess where I was going with that would be on an extended trip, one of several days to week in duration. Again I am thinking back to when I was in Africa this summer and would not want to have to get water from some of their clean sources. Thanks again. Cool forum.

Jim, we have a 13 gallon tank in our truck, and sometimes we've had to fill it up with pretty questionable water sources. In those cases we do 2 things: bring a little chlorine bleach to help kill some of the nasties, and filter. This method protects from most diseases (not all of them).

That said, most places in the world that have poor water quality in their pipes also sell bottled water. We usually end up using the tank for wash water and cooking water, and then we buy bottled water for drinking directly, more for convenience and taste.

In hot areas we get by (2 of us) on 3-4 gallons per day, fairly sparingly. You can do it with less if you have to, but it's not so much fun.

Welcome to the forum, this is my first post too...

Robin

 

[jwhutch]

Jim,

If you have some time, post up some pictures of your experience in Africa in either the Photography or Completed Expeditions sections. For many of us, Africa feels like a long off dream and we love to live vicariously through others

Pete

I will do that, especially our Safari, which literally got rained out when our Overland truck got stuck in the mud, and I had to get 23 college students back to the Nile on foot through animal country. I'll defiantely post a few pics. That trip, which was a Mission trip, really got this whole expedition/overland/adventure travel bug going in me. Thanks for the warm welcome here. This is a great resource for those like me getting started.

 

[ntsqd]

FWIW I carry the filtration system in my "Boy Scout Bag" as a 'just in case' kind of thing.

I guess I'm a little on the low side. On my non-summer time solo weekend trips into the Mojave I carry 5 gallons. That doesn't include the various non-carbonated drinks I bring. Mayhap I should carry more when solo. Definately do when traveling with others.