Very innovative water filtration technology

[gjackson]

Well, osmosis isn't all that innovative, but the application in this case is:

http://www.herowater.com/

cheers

 

[Pskhaat]

I am interested in the salt reduction, may have to give this a try.

 

[gjackson]

Yes, I was interested in the desalination packs as well. I'm also interested whether their resulting 'sports drink' is at all palatable.

cheers

 

[cruisertoy]

I've tasted thier stuff at the OR show in January. The sports drink flavor wasn't the worst I had tasted. I didn't have much time to talk to them, but it was interesting stuff. I'm always a little behind the curve on water purifying technology. I use an MSR, but mainly use it in western Alaska where you can probably drink the water straight anyway. The UV purifying people have pushed pretty hard everytime I've talked to them, but using UV on stinky fish water may make it clean, but it still tastes like fish. Hero was different than that, but still strange to me. Someone give it a try and let us know. I'll probably spend time with them in July at the show if they are there.

 

[dlbrunner]

I need to look at that a little closer. But my gut feeling is it would be ok for a REAL emergency when you don't have access to any other field method of purification. Replacing one salt with another could also have negative impacts when being dehydrated......

I am in the water industry and I can bottom line it for you guys.

One treatment method will not remove all contaminants. Pretty much every water treatment plant has multiple stages to treat water.

Direct Filtration: Removes solids, and microbes. (Virus still may be present) Color, taste, odor and any dissolved metals/minerals will remain. Think MSR, Katadyn or ceramic filters

Carbon filters: Great for removing Color, Taste, Odor and some dissovled organic contaminants. Think Britta filters

Disinfection: Covers Iodine, bromine and derivatives, Chlorination and derivatives, UV. These methods inactivate "Most" organisms. FYI Chlorination will not kill Naeglaria Fowleri (the brain eating ameoba) Also Giardia and Crypto are pretty resiliant critters and are best nailed by Filtration (because of their size) or UV. UV is good because it goes after Virus as well. UV breaks down the DNA or RNA in the living material rendering it inactive. The kicker is if there are a lot of toxins already generated by the bacteria inactivated, they could still make you sick.

My approach in the field is always multi stepped. I have a MSR filter, and I add a few drops of bleach. I am looking into replacing the bleach with the UV as my secondary treatment.\

I know plenty of people with encysted giardia. I do not plan on becoming one of them.

 

[dlbrunner]

After looking at the lab studies done in OR, I am continuing to build doubt.... Their testing protocol used Deionized water with the total coliform innoculation. DI water is pretty tough to keep Bacteria alive in.

Its kind of like adding distilled water to a fish tank, the fish suffocate.

 

[cruisertoy]

I am looking into replacing the bleach with the UV as my secondary treatment.\

QUOTE]
dblrunner..
I like this approach if the UV thing works well enough. I work in product development in a major hot tub company and we really only advise people to use chloring or bromine.

Have you worked with any of the copper based bacteria treatments? Not great in spas because the environment is so harsh, but i've seen some for sale at REI in little vials. I can get the stuff by the gallon for about the same price as a few ounces at Rei. Again, I seem to stick to what works and haven't tested much else for drinking water.