Have been studying water filters/purifiers for sometime now. It seems that Katadyn has been the standard for a few years, however I cannot find that it will filter bacteria or viruses?

Have found that the PUR filters are the only ones that will do all viruses, bacteria, giardia and cryptosporidium.

Any others found additional information or recommendations?

Would like to order something that will do all, ASAP.

Thanks

Lynn

-- Lynn (llbarber@networld.com), October 26, 1999

Answers

British Berkefeld. A web search will take you to distributors.

-- silver ion (ag3@interlog.com), October 26, 1999.

I have a Big Berkey and a portable Katadyn. I think Big Berkey is the best because it filters water to a clean, clear state.

Try this web address:

http://www.safe-water.com/ap/a273sw/index.html

-- walt (longyear@shentel.net), October 26, 1999.

I bought some of these pentapure filters for bug out bags:

www.pentapure.com

From their e-mail to me:

Many of the PentaPure products are available from Tealbrook, tealbrook@aol.com and 800-222-6614.

The PentaPure Sport is, also, available from:

Sportsman's Guide, 800-888-3006 Sport, white, item # D8-13887 Complete Replacement Cartridge, item # D8-13888

Chinook Medical Gear, 800-766-1365 Sport, white, item # 02326 Complete Replacement Cartridge, item # 02327

-- ExCop (yinadral@juno.com), October 26, 1999.

Depends on what you need the filter for. The Berkefield sounds like a good bet, but only if you want water for a base camp. Everything I have seen so far tells me that it would be a pain to lug around for any distance though.

For portable filters (which I think you are interested in), the katadyn is supposed to be good, but I don't think you can find too many out there (high demand).

I've got a First Need purifier that has gotten some good reviews.

Link to one thing I have seen on the net (also includes some info on Katadyn filtering Giardia ok too): http://x40.deja.co m/getdoc.xp?AN=534665796&CONTEXT=940966695.1357971490&hitnum=6

(If the link doesn't work, search on www.deja.com for First Need Purifier and look through some of the links).

I got mine from REI. http://www.rei.com for $80.

-- James Collins (jacollins@thegrid.net), October 26, 1999.

I have also done a great deal of studying on water purification and distillation. The Big Berky or Katadyn are okay, but these do not fit on a countertop. I would recommend going to http://www.cluby2k.com if you are looking for a large purifier. We got the Max60 from these folks and love it. It will do 60 gallons a day. For a small portable unit, we got the Bottoms UP -- only $20 at an expo and it will purify 200 gallons (3 months for one person). You can find it at http://www.prepare-now.com/843.html. Above all, I recommend an e-Still for distillation. It is non-electric and a good investment. We purchased ours through Clearwater Products at http://www.camasnet.com/~distill/index.html. For a good explanation from Tom Simmons of Clearwater Products about distillation vs purification, read the following thread at MrsSurvival.com. Go to: http://www.mrssurvival.com/dcforum/20/407.html. (If you have trouble getting to this link, just go to the Distaster Preparedness forum at MrsSurvival.com and it's on the first page of threads towards the bottom, marked Water Distillation -- I posted the info there.) Good Luck!

-- edensong (edensong@hotmail.com), October 26, 1999.

In order to handle a virus you'll need either a chemical (such as activated charcoal) or the First Need Deluxe purifier. It used some kind of electrostatic charge to trap the virus. In general, a filter does not handle virii, a purifier does.

-- no one (no.one@no.where), October 26, 1999.

Lynn,

My first purchase was a First Need Deluxe Purifier for two reasons; one, it doesn't use chemicals to disinfect the water (most camping types use an iodated resin, i.e. iodine, to kill the bugs in the water), and two, it can also be used as a gravity siphon filter, i.e. doesn't have to constantly be pumped to filter the water. I bought it early in the summer. As with most of the "inexpensive" camping type purifiers, cartridge life is limited - I think it is stated as a capacity of 125 to 200 gallons per cartridge. You can read about them at http://www.general-ecology.com

I recently stumbled upon a place called Pure Water Products. You might want to surf on over to http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm and take a look at what they have (their main page is http://www.pwgazette.com/pwp.htm). I ordered from them a couple of weeks ago, and have nothing but kudos and praise to offer. I received the order as promised a couple of days later, with the exception of one filter which was out of stock on. They said it would be shipped soon, and I received it two days later. Everything is top notch, and appears to be better quality than what I could pick up at the local hardware store. I talked to Gene at PWP several times on the phone before buying to help me decide what to get (I was looking for both a house system and an emergency system). He was VERY helpful in explaining the various options. Along with several of my friends, we purchased what PWP calls their "type B" siphon. Less expensive than most of the camping type filters, it uses the same Doulton Ceramic type filters that the Big Berkely uses (i.e. they are cleanable and re-usable for thousands of gallons). We also purchased their "style C" carbon cartridge to help remove any chemicals in the water (rated for 1500 gallons), and an extra Doulton ceramic filter cartridge in case we break the first one (they are ceramic and sound like they would shatter into a thousand pieces if dropped while cleaning). Doulton filters have a long tradition in water purification (see http://www.faireyceramics.com/cwf/doulton/index.htm). The PWP filter is a great setup for a gravity siphon, but that is also its limitation - the First Need a bit more portable, and can be used to pump water directly from the source into a container (i.e. might be good for your bug out bag). The PWP gravity siphon will generally need something to hold the water you want to filter. Quite frankly, I rate the PWP gravity siphon a "best buy", and would probably be the first one I would buy.

I would definitely check out http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm before I bought anything else. It might be all you feel you will need. They recently updated their web page (same prices as before) and it is a bit easier to see and understand what their units look like. Be sure to check out their Lake Bill test - it's a hoot. Seems like I originally read about PWP on this forum, and I believe the Gary North site recommends them as well. I know this sounds like a commercial, but I have no interest in PWP, and I am just a VERY satisfied customer. I have recommended them to all my (GI) friends.

Regards,

e.m.

-- Eyell Makedo (make_do@hotmail.com), October 27, 1999.