The short answer
Carry clean water, treat anything you collect, and cook outdoors with a stable stove away from the car and tents. Boiling for at least a minute kills most germs, and a filter alone does not remove everything. Keep food and water clean, and keep stove fuel out of the cabin.
Do
- Treat water from streams, ponds and unknown taps
- Boil, or use a purifier or chemical treatment
- Cook outside, on a stable surface, away from tents
- Wash hands and keep food covered
- Store water in clean, sealed containers
Do not
- Drink untreated stream or village water
- Cook inside a tent or the car
- Carry stove fuel in the cabin
- Reuse dirty containers
- Leave food out to attract animals
Carrying and storing water
- Plan the amount. Around 4 litres per person per day is a start, and more in heat. See heat and hydration
- Use food-grade containers with tight lids, and keep them in the shade
- Keep weight low and central, and strap containers down
- Clean containers between trips, and do not store water for long periods
- Separate drinking water from water for washing
Making water safe
| Method | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Settling and cloth | Removes silt and large bits. | Not enough on its own. It makes other methods work better. |
| Filter | Removes silt, many germs and parasites, depending on the filter. | Many filters do not remove viruses. Check what yours does. |
| Boiling | Kills most germs. | Common guidance is a rolling boil for at least a minute, and longer at high altitude, often around three minutes above about 2,000 m. |
| Purification tablets or drops | Chemically treat water. | Follow the instructions and wait the full time. Cold or cloudy water needs longer. |
| UV purifier | Disinfects clear water. | Needs batteries, and clear water to work well. |
Clear first, then treat. Cloudy water makes most treatments less effective, so settle or filter it first.
Camp cooking safely
- Cook outside, on a flat, stable surface, away from tents, vegetation and the car
- Use a stove with a wind shield and keep it away from flammable things
- Never cook in a tent or in the car, because of fire and carbon monoxide
- Store fuel safely, sealed, outside the cabin, and away from heat
- Carry a small extinguisher or a wet cloth and water, and know how to use them
- Mind forest rules: fires are often banned, so check before you light anything
Food hygiene
- Wash hands with soap, or use sanitizer, before cooking and eating
- Keep raw and cooked food apart, and keep food covered and cold
- Cook meat thoroughly, and eat perishables early
- Pack out all rubbish, and keep food away from your sleeping area to avoid animals
Pick your water source
Tap a source to see how to make it safe.
Tap a source (6 to try)
Treatment for Sealed bottled water
- Treatment
- -
- Why
- -
Common mistakes
- Drinking untreated stream water. Clear water can still make you ill.
- Relying on a filter alone. Many do not remove viruses.
- Skipping the clearing step. Cloudy water defeats most treatments.
- Cooking in the tent. Fire and carbon monoxide risk.
- Carrying fuel in the cabin. Fumes and fire risk.
- Leaving food out. It attracts animals.
A final word. Unsafe water and unsafe stoves make people seriously ill and start fires. This guide is general information, not medical advice. When in doubt, use sealed bottled water, treat everything else properly, and follow local rules on fires.