I've seen some filter water bottles in hiking magazines... I don't really need one
which will handle stream water (if it does, so be it)... I just want one where, when
travelling abroad, I can fill it up with tap water as I'm touring (as tap water is
frequently all I can get) and not get stuck in the bathroom for days with my
stomach's reaction to the water.... (removal of lead etc is also wanted). Where can I
buy it (price)? Can it be used on a regular basis (not iodine based???) (I'm leaving
in a couple of week's... so I've gotta get it soon!) (In general, is there a good way
to get your body used to foreign water? Once I go through the ordeal once... am I
immune for life?)

Thanks - please also email response.

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Have you had great problems with the water when traveling. Usually I don't although
any change in local flora can always affect a traveler. Are the filters fine enough
to deal with that? I drink a lot of tap water when traveling in western Europe, but
we generally buy mineral water to carry with us in the car. My wife doesn't like flat
water and usually buys carbonated water for the hotel room as well. I've been told
that it's wise to vary the brand of mineral water as you can react to minerals you're
not used to as well. Mineral water is pretty cheap if you buy it in a supermarket. I
suspect you build some immunity to local bacteria, but I also suspect that you
acclimate yourself to whatever you're currently drinking and that if you stay in
Europe long enough you have to adjust upon return home.

--
<www.worldtable.com> Food/Wine/Travel - new offer for car rental and leasing in
Europe posted 21 June 2000

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I wouldn't trust the simple filters in 3rd world countries. I don't think there's any
easy way to get immune either. Hepatitis is common in areas with poor (or
non-existent) sewer systems. In the countries I've visited, the locals boil all their
drinking water. Tourists do the same or buy bottled water.
--
Ken Lee, http://www.rahul.net/kenton/

Brita sells a small single person sized water filter with glass (sports bottle sized)

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in
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(removal
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soon!)
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soon!)

REI carries one by Safewater for 44.95, which is available online (www.rei.com). They
also have a couple of others ranging from $40 to $45.

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Not really. You either have to have a natural immunity or build up tolerance over a
very very long time. Even then, that's only for certain bugs, not everything. And you
are *definitely* not immune for life after the first time. :)

I suppose it depends upon the country, and the size of the city, but isn't tap water
throughout the civilized world reasonably safe to drink? It's true I only visited
large cities, but I drank tap water everywhere in my hotels, had no problems, and
found it a good deal more palatable than some places here in the U.S. (Where I never
even think to wonder about its "safety" or lack thereof.)

Daniel Rosenzweig wrote:
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What counts as "civilized world"? The water supply in several major Russian cities is
known to be contaminated with giardia. In most of China, the locals will not drink
tap water without boiling it first. I would trust the tap water in western Europe,
Canada, USA, and Japan, but not in most of the rest of the world.
--
Ken Lee, http://www.rahul.net/kenton/

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Reasonably safe, yes. The problem is that every locale breeds its own variety of
bacteria and other little critters that are different from the ones that your body is
used to dealing with at home. The safest, cleanest water you can find will still
contain some of these little hobgoblins, and they can play hell with your digestive
system. So-called "traveler's diarrhea" results from drinking this safe, clean water
that takes most of us a couple of days to get used to.

If you are not bothered by digestive ailments when traveling, count yourself lucky!

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"Evelyn Vogt Gamble (Divamanque)" <[email protected]> wrote in

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Yes. That's why large cities in developed countries no longer have cholera epidemics.

I've never hesitated to drink tap water in large European cities, and I've had
no problems.

Small towns are another story, and they can be risky anywhere, even in the
U.S., since their water supplies tend to be more random and less well
controlled and purified.

Some areas have water with unusual mineral content. This can have a strong
laxative effect that can produce diarrhea or something close to it in people who
aren't used to the water, but it has nothing to do with germs or any health risks.
Some bottled mineral waters have this effect, too (indeed, some seem to use it as
a selling point).

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Russia, in its current state, is a Third-World country from a practical standpoint.

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See above.

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Europe, Canada, the USA, and Japan pretty much covers the civilized world (plus a
small handful of other countries, like Australia).

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[usenetquote2]> >I suppose it depends upon the country, and the size of the city, but isn't tap[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >water throughout the civilized world reasonably safe to drink?[/usenetquote2]
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"Civilized world" is patronizing, offensive actually to these parts of the world that
you don't include. And in many cases it is actually technically incorrect. Many poor
countries are every bit as "civilized" as, or more than, many rich ones.

And when talking about oneself, "my" country is civilized, while "yours" presumably
is not, come on.

But anyway. Back to the water. Yes, giardia in St Petersburg is a personal
experience. And yes, I was aware of it before going, and yes, I was careful. No, I
did not drink the water. Yet, I still got it. And I can only speculate why.

OTOH, for those why believe bottled water is safer, at least in places where tap
water is OK, think again.

Bottled water won't really be safe until

(a) It's properly labeled, including bottling date. You don't want water that's more
than a couple of days old. Especially in plastic bottles.

(b) It has been properly stored throughout its life. In cool dark places. Not in the
sunshine and in the tropics.

Until that becomes reality, I'll stick to tap water.

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Hong Kong seemed civilized, but the hotel recommended and provided bottled water in
the bathrooms for brushing your teeth.

--
<www.worldtable.com> Food/Wine/Travel - new offer for car rental and leasing in
Europe posted 21 June 2000

I've used a ceremic filter from MSR for several years in the same conditions. Can't
complain, the filter does it's job well. The 3 liter dromedary bag I use for
stocking up 'dirty' water so I always have a 3 liter extra reserve with me. MSR has
made it the bag for stocking up fresh water, I use it the other way around. The
filtered fresh water I keep in 2 metal containers and make extra fresh water when
needed on the way.

Ciao, Arno http://travel.to/MiddleEast

On Sun, 18 Mar 2001 01:43:42 -0500, "Daniel Rosenzweig"

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Bye,

Arno http://travel.to/MiddleEast

================================================== =============
[email protected] eat the carrot to see my address better....
========= (c) 1998 Carrot spam protection, never post without :) ==========

If you are prone to kidney stones, stick with filtered water... preferably with low
mineral content.

--
The Generation That Took Acid To Escape Reality Now Takes Antacid To Deal With
Reality http://www.dwacon.com

I got my brita "Fill & Go's" at Sam's Club... @ for $5.99.. maybe Wal-Mart also
carries them.....

Here is their website... they have them on there... http://www.brita.com/224i.html