What is the best way to purify my water?
Treatment of Water Travelers should be advised of the following methods for treating water to make it safe for drinking and other purposes. Boiling Boiling is by far the most reliable method to make water of uncertain purity safe for drinking. Water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil for 1 minute and allowed to cool to room temperature; ice should not be added. This procedure will kill bacterial and parasitic causes of diarrhea at all altitudes and viruses at low altitudes. To kill viruses at altitudes >2,000 m (6,562 ft), water should be boiled for 3 minutes or chemical disinfection should be used after the water has boiled for 1 minute. Adding a pinch of salt to each quart or pouring the water several times from one clean container to another will improve the taste. What preventive measures are effective for travelers’ diarrhea (TD)? Travelers can minimize their risk for TD by practicing the following effective preventive measures: • Avoid eating foods or drinking beverages
