Isle Royale Forums

Going over the "Greenstone" paper, I was reading that they recommend you to boil your water or treat it chemically. I tried to search for any info on this topic here on the forums, but couldn't find anything. I will have the MSR miniworks filter, but I am not sure if that is enough or not. Getting ready to head up to the island in about a week, and would like to get any last minute items. Any input would be great.

The 2011 paper (have it available quickly) reads to boil or filter, then chemically treat. A lot of folks just filter, including myself. Not sure how many add tablets or drops. So your filter is fine, and you may want to add the chemical to be safe.

I just use my MSR Miniworks filter. No chemical treatment.

IncaRoads wrote:I just use my MSR Miniworks filter. No chemical treatment.

+1
If backapcking, I use the Miniworks.
I have a Katadyn Basecamp Gravity filter (w/ the ceramic cartidge) when paddling.

johnhens wrote:

IncaRoads wrote:I just use my MSR Miniworks filter. No chemical treatment.

+1
If backapcking, I use the Miniworks.
I have a Katadyn Basecamp Gravity filter (w/ the ceramic cartidge) when paddling.

+1 for using just a MSR miniworks filter as well with no chemical treatment. The Miniworks isn't the fastest or lighest filter on the market, but at least it has been reliable for me.

I use a Sawyer gravity filter and carry a handful of Micropur tabs as a backup should the filter fail.

I filter only as well; no chem treatments after filtering. After 10 trips, I'm still alive, tapeworm and all.*

*Tapeworm comment IS sarcasm, FYI.

Not to sound alarmist about tapeworms, but it can take many years before symptoms appear of a tumor in one’s brain or lung. That being said I too have drunk water directly from Superior. This was before anyone could afford a filter and we had to carry double amounts of fuel. It was always the prospect of either drinking warm water or waiting for it to cool off that motivated the “risky” behavior. It’s interesting that on more recent trips I never gave NOT filtering Superior water any thought. It was just so easy and relatively quick compared to what I was used to doing.

As far as the OP, chemical treatment, I’ve never done it on IR. I do not know when the chemical treatment recommendation first appeared in NPS literature but it didn’t used to be so (but boiling was the common method then so treatment was would have been unnecessary). If a water source is downstream or close to any human activity it would certainly be prudent to guarantee you knocked out the very tiny (super sub micron) but certainly nasty potential viruses. I carry tablets for emergencies and keep some non-perfumed bleach around the house in case I ever had to filter some Mississippi River water (no threat of tapeworm as I doubt they could live in it*).

* more sarcasm, LOL

alecto73 wrote:I use a Sawyer gravity filter and carry a handful of Micropur tabs as a backup should the filter fail.

This is what I mean when I say that Alecto is neat with his equipment ideas. He posted a video in another forum so I could understand what his stepup looked like. The thing is light and easy to use. Check it out if you can find it or if Alecto reposts it to show you what Im talking about

Thanks guys for all the help. I didn't think we would need anything, but you just never know. Plus if I do get sick, tapeworms, or other parasites due to the water, I feel a lot better knowing that I get to blame you all for not recommending the chemical treatment*


* - lots of sarcasm with the last part of the sentence - as we all know we/ourselves are the only ones we can truly ever blame.

I asked a ranger on Saturday about the filter-with-chemical-treatment recommendation. The ranger was not familiar with that recommendation.

The Park Service will always recommend you wear a belt and suspenders, just in case.

The IRNP Greenstone 2012 newsletter says to boil water for 1 minute if not filtering. I thought they used to say boil for two.
Low and behold, on their website under outdoor activities, canoe and kayak, it says boil water rapidly for two minutes. Typo in the Greenstone or revised recommendations?

My understanding is that water only needs to come to boil and that is enough to destroy the micros in our Midwest Northern Lakes. I stop heating when bubbles begin to pop surface.

With over 200 nights in BWCA/Isle Royale/ + the last five years - No issues.
I do usually filter, but for morning coffee/oatmeal/tea etc. i just scoop and bubble.