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What do you people think about just drinking straight out of a river or stream?

6K views 41 replies 31 participants last post by  NotTooProudToHide 
#1 · (Edited)
Just went on a 24 hour hike/camp with a neighbour I have known for a short period of time. Also, he brought his kids, and I brought my kids too. To my horror he did not bring any water, just empty bottles and said he was just going to drink out of the river and streams, and fill his bottles from the river. Which he did, and did not boil it. He told his kids this was fine and they drank the water. He filled up from at least two streams and one river.

One of the first things I was taught in the army was, no matter how clean you are told, or think the river is, you ALWAYS boil water before you drink it. Or decontaminate it some other way. You don't know what's in it. There could be a dead carcass upstream, or animals crapping in the water, or humans for that matter.

He thought I was crazy taking water with me, and I think he took offence I did not take him at his word that all the water was so clean.
There was no way, me and my children were just going to drink out of some river or stream, without boiling it first. I think it is quite irresponsible teaching your kids that's fine to do that. It was a 24 hour hike/camp, not a life or death situation.

What do you good people think?
 
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#39 ·
Oh yea Boy Scouts . Never drink un boiled water. Later we got tablets, modern-scouts filter straws. In the 70s Our scoutmaster brought a microscope to a camp out and showed us lake water under the microscope. Believe me your buddy would never let his kids drink that water. Oh yea the swim test sucked! I remember...


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