Planning your next adventure? Whether you’re a professional traveller or an occasional hiker, staying hydrated is crucial to enjoying any outdoor excursion. When you are out in the wild and drinking water, especially in the US, it is super important to purify it first. You definitely want to steer clear of any nasty tummy troubles that could really put a damper on your backpacking adventure and might even lead to some long-term health issues.

Clean drinking water is not always accessible in the wild, so making water purification methods an essential part of your gear is important. Among various options available, water purification pills have become a popular choice for outdoor enthusiasts due to their portability and ease of use. But how do water purification pills work? And are they safe? Let’s explore everything you need to know.

What are Water Purification Pills?

Water purification pills are small, easy-to-use tablets designed to kill harmful microorganisms in contaminated water, making it safe for drinking. They are commonly used by hikers, campers, travellers, and in emergency situations where clean drinking water is not available. Water purification tablets typically contain active ingredients like chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine, which work to destroy bacteria, protozoa, and viruses.

While these tablets are effective at disinfecting water, they do not remove sediments, heavy metals, or chemicals, meaning they are primarily used to treat biologically contaminated water sources like rivers, lakes, or standing water.

Also Read: Waterborne Diseases And Climate Change: The Emerging Public Health Crisis

How Do Water Purification Pills Work?

Water treatment tablets usually have chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine as their main ingredients. When the tablet dissolves, these chemicals work to eliminate harmful pathogens in the water supply. However, how well they do this really depends on how concentrated the active chemical is in the tablet.

Water purification tablets that use chlorine or chlorine dioxide work by oxidizing key cellular structures and enzymes, making them ineffective. The main things that affect how many microorganisms, like bacteria and protozoa, get killed are the concentration of the solution and how long they are exposed to it. There are a few other things to consider, like the type of pathogen species—like Cryptosporidium Oocysts, Cyclospora, and worm eggs, which probably won’t get disinfected. Also, water temperature, pH, and organic contaminants play a role.

Chlorine is cost-effective but has a noticeable taste that some people dislike. On the other hand, chlorine dioxide tablets are more potent, have no taste, and offer broader protection against pathogens, including viruses. However, chlorine dioxide tablets decompose quickly when exposed to air, making them less stable over time. Recent research shows that when the water is colder, it takes longer to disinfect. Also, acidic pH water can neutralize some of the chlorine’s effectiveness, and adding protein can cut that effectiveness by as much as 80%.

Also Read: Top Water Purification Systems For Well Water

How to Use the Water Purifying Pills?

People often use it to clean river or lake water when they are out backpacking and need a drink or during emergencies after a natural disaster when regular water sources are not available. Tablets are a popular way to add water-purifying chemicals to a water supply. The duration of their effects can differ, as well as the time it takes for them to dissolve and work their magic completely.

There are quite a few water purification tablets available, and each one has its own way of being used to work properly. Just toss some water purification tablets into your water supply to get rid of any pathogens and make sure the water is disinfected. They are a quick way to disinfect water supplies that might be contaminated.

Using water purification tablets is simple, but following the correct steps is crucial to ensure the water is safe to drink:

• Filter Out Sediments: Use a cloth or paper filter to remove large particles like leaves or sand from the water.
• Add Tablets: Drop the recommended number of tablets into your container of water. The instructions on the tablet packaging will indicate how many tablets to use based on the amount of water.
• Wait: Allow the water to sit for at least 30 minutes. If the water is very cold or contains a lot of organic material, you may need to wait longer.
• Neutralize Taste: Chlorine or iodine can leave a distinct taste in the water. To neutralize this, leave the container uncovered to let the chlorine evaporate or add a flavouring agent.

Also Read: Pharmaceutical Pollution In Water Bodies: A Less Explored Threat

Some Well-known Brands of Water Purification Pills

1. Aquatabs

Aquatabs® are tablets you can toss into drinking water to help eliminate harmful microorganisms. The tablet clears up in just a few minutes and gets the water disinfected in about half an hour.

It provides :

• 99.9999% reduction in bacteria
• 99.99% reduction in viruses
• 99.9% reduction in Cysts (Giardia)
• Tested as per US EPA water purifier standards

2. Potable Aqua® Chlorine Dioxide Tablets

Potable Aqua® Chlorine Dioxide Tablets are perfect for campers, hikers, kayakers, world travellers, emergency organizations, and anyone looking for a reliable way to turn questionable water into safe drinking water. Potable Aqua® Chlorine Dioxide tablets use the same reliable technology that is found in municipal water supplies. It has been shown to work well against viruses, bacteria, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.

Every tablet comes individually wrapped and sealed up tight. If you keep tablets in their sealed packets and store them at temperatures between 60 and 86°F, they should stay effective for about four years. Being around heat, humidity, moisture, and air can make the tablets less effective.

• No aftertaste; it actually improves the taste and odour of water.
• Kills bacteria as well as viruses and cysts, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

3. Coghlan’s Drinking Water Tablets

Coghlan’s Emergency Drinking Water Germicidal Tablets quickly dissolve, making most water safe to drink when you really need it. You can use two of these germicidal iodine-based tablets to disinfect about a quart of water so it is safe to drink.

These tablets are a great addition to any first aid or survival kit, ensuring you have a reliable way to disinfect water when you need it.

• Easy to use
• 50 tablets per bottle
• Treat up to 25 quarts per package
• Iodine-based, chlorine-free
• For emergency use only

4. Oasis water purification tablet

Oasis Water Purification Tablets are great for killing bacteria and viruses. They are actually recommended by the WHO for treating water to help prevent waterborne diseases. Oasis Water Purification Tablets use Troclosene  Sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) to disinfect drinking water safely and effectively.

The Oasis Water Purification Tablets help keep you safe by killing off microorganisms in water, which can prevent issues like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, and other water-borne diseases. These pills are great for disinfecting different amounts of water and can be used in various situations, like catering, water tanks, and new pipe setups.

Also Read: Top 10 Hydrogen Water Bottle Made In The USA: A Buyer’s Guide

Problems of Water Purifying Tablets

There are water contamination issues that purification pills won’t be able to solve since they can only remove some dangerous items, not all of them. This includes chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, and sediments. Also, there is a certain amount of time you have to wait before you may use water purification pills. The standard procedure for treating water sources with water purification tablets requires a 30-minute waiting period, which might be inconvenient in situations when drinking water is required immediately.

Since they do not eliminate viruses, water-filtering pills may not be the best option. An unpleasant flavor lingers after taking several pill varieties. If you want to mask the taste of iodine, you may take iodine neutralizer pills. Leaving the treated water out in the open air for the chlorine to dissipate will eliminate the chlorine taste.

Conclusion

Despite their limitations, water purification tablets are a highly effective, convenient, and portable option for ensuring safe drinking water during outdoor adventures. With various brands on the market and different active ingredients to choose from, there is likely a product that fits your specific needs. Whether you are a hiker, camper, or emergency preparer, water purification tablets are a must-have item in your gear kit.

As the global market for water purification tablets continues to grow, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.00% from 2023 to 2030, these tablets remain a staple for adventurers and travellers looking for a simple, lightweight solution to safe hydration.

Also Read: The Best Water Purification Systems For Camping Adventures