On a packraft trip you float on your water supply all day. That is a big advantage: you carry less on the walk in and top up whenever you like. It only works if you treat what you drink. Clear, cold, fast-flowing water can still carry the bugs that end a trip early. Pick a method, practise it at home, and drinking from the river becomes a two-minute routine.
What you are treating for
The main risks in Australian and New Zealand rivers are microorganisms from animals and people upstream. Protozoa such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, bacteria such as E. coli, and in water near settlements, viruses. Stock on the banks, a campsite upstream or a town above you all raise the risk. You cannot see any of them, and clear water is no guarantee.
Some things no field method removes reliably. Keep those in mind before you choose where to fill up.
- Blue-green algae: toxins from an algal bloom survive boiling and most filters. Do not drink, cook with or swim in water with a visible bloom or a warning sign.
- Chemicals: farm runoff, old mine sites and industrial areas can put contaminants in the water that filters and boiling do not deal with.
- Salt: estuary water is brackish well upstream of the mouth. Carry all your drinking water on tidal trips.
State health departments and water authorities publish blue-green algae alerts for many rivers and lakes. Check them before you go, especially in late summer.
The four ways to treat it
| Feature | What it handles | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Boiling | Protozoa, bacteria and viruses | Uses fuel and time; you wait for it to cool |
| Filter | Protozoa and bacteria; most do not remove viruses | Clogs in silty water; damaged by freezing |
| Chemical | Bacteria and viruses; chlorine dioxide also handles protozoa with a longer wait | Contact time; weaker in cold or cloudy water |
| UV light | Protozoa, bacteria and viruses in clear water | Needs clear water and charged batteries |
Always follow the maker's instructions for contact times and volumes.
Boiling
A rolling boil makes water safe from microorganisms. It is the simplest method and the one to fall back on when anything else fails. The cost is fuel. On a trip where you already boil water for dinner and breakfast, boiling your drinking water too means carrying extra fuel. Boil at night and fill your bottles to cool while you sleep.
Filters
Squeeze and gravity filters are the favourite for packraft trips. They are light, fast and need no waiting. Fill a soft bag from the river, screw on the filter and squeeze or hang it, and you drink straight away. A gravity bag hung from a branch at camp filters several litres while you pitch the tent.
Look after the filter and it lasts. Backflush it as the maker describes when the flow slows. Keep it from freezing on cold nights, because ice can crack the fibres inside without any sign on the outside. Sleep with it in your sleeping bag on frosty trips.
Chemical treatment
Tablets and drops are the lightest option and a smart backup to any filter. Chlorine dioxide is the common choice. It works on bacteria and viruses fast and on protozoa more slowly, so read the packet and give it the full time. Cold water slows it down further. Carry a strip of tablets in your repair kit as insurance if the filter fails.
UV pens
A UV pen stirred through a bottle of clear water treats it in a minute or two. It is quick and adds no taste. It depends on clear water and working batteries, so it suits short trips on clean rivers more than a long run on a muddy one.
Where and how you collect
Your method is only as good as the water you start with. A few habits make every method work better.
- Fill from flowing water, not from a stagnant backwater or a pool beside the bank.
- Collect upstream of camp, crossings and anywhere stock drink.
- Let silty water settle in a pot, or pour it through a bandana, before you filter or treat it.
- Keep treated and untreated bottles clearly different, with a coloured lid or tape.
- Keep the clean end of a filter out of the river and off the ground.
After heavy rain, rivers run brown and carry more of everything. Collect from a side creek running clear if there is one, give silt time to settle, and treat with care.
How much to carry
Water is heavy, and on a river you rarely need to carry much. A litre or two between fill-ups is usually enough on the water, with a larger bag for camp. The exception is the walk. Carry enough for the walk in and out, and for any dry stretch between river and road. Hot days on open water need more than you expect.
Build a simple system and keep it: one method as your main, one as backup. A filter plus tablets covers almost every Australian and New Zealand trip.
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