Water Filters for Camping.

How to Test Camping Water Filters

• Answer:

  When you go camping, it's imperative that you have a good, functional water filter, especially if you plan to hike into the wilderness away from established campsites with clean water supplies. A good filter will remove bacteria and other toxins that could make you sick. If you have any questions about whether your water filter is working, it's a good idea to test it to be sure. Testing water for bacteria---the main concern of campers---requires help from an outside lab. Difficulty: Easy Things You'll Need Water sample Water filter Containers (lab-supplied) Instructions Call your state certification office and request a list of laboratories that have been state certified to conduct water tests. Or you can visit the EPA website for a list of state-certified labs. Call around to the laboratories on your list and find one that charges a reasonable price to test for waterborne bacteria like coliform. You may also want to test for nitrates, dissolved solids and pH levels. Collect some water from a nearby lake or stream. When you're camping, you'll be filtering the water available to you, so it's better to test your camp filter on water other than your tap water. Filter the water you collected using your camp filter. Put the water into the lab-supplied containers that you receive from the lab who will test your water. Carefully follow any instructions that the lab provides regarding handling the containers. You don't want to introduce contaminants after you've filtered the water. Send your samples in to the lab for testing, again following the lab's instructions for shipping. Tips & Warnings Warning: Consider testing your camp filter once a year to be sure you always have a safe water supply when camping.