Why treat your drinking water?
Water sources can contain bacteria, parasites and viruses. Though boiling water is an effective way of treating drinking water, the weight of the fuel required to boil all your water generally makes it one of the less appealing options.

Water filters are ideal when collecting water from muddy or otherwise distasteful water sources. Water filters also have the benefit of supplying water on demand. Chemical purification is lightweight and cheap, but requires 30 minutes to purify water and can add taste.
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