- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025
This guide is meant to be a broad overview of the issue of water safety and treatment while walking. This will be especially applicable for those with immune systems that are compromised by virtue of medical treatments or disease.
Due to word length limitations, and personal interest in the information, I have divided the post into two distinct posts.
Part One is background information about why filtration might be needed and when it is not needed. In general, normal immune systems require no filtration for water in Europe, and Spain's water meets the highest standards for treatment of public water systems.
Part Two specifically talks about the various types of portable water treatment systems and how they function. For those who just want this information, skip Part One and go to 'Part Two' posted below.
The types of water treatment systems referred to here, are those which are lightweight, very compact to carry, and are typically used for wilderness backpacking. However, they can also be effectively used for vacation travel and for walking a camino.
I am being purposefully sparse in scientific geek-speak and literature overviews in order to give those who are interested in the topic a place to start their own research. When specific equipment is mentioned, including things which I personally use, it is not a iron-clad recommendation; it is only a nod that that piece of gear works as intended. As can be seen from the many discussions surrounding gear choices - from shoes to backpacks to water container types - each individual will find what device or technique has the features and functions that suits their own unique, personal needs.
Part One
Why and When Water Filtration is a Good Idea
As someone who has made a career within Public Health at a government health district, I will note that the infrastructure for safe drinking water in Spain is easily the equivalent of any other EU country and other modern, western nations. In general, Spain's drinking water is very safe, and even safer than some other 1st world nations.
I never routinely filter my drinking water when in Spain. There is simply no need to do so. The purpose of this guideline is NOT to imply that the Spanish drinking water supply is questionable.
As can happen in every other first world country, there may be very infrequent and unexpected and temporary outbreaks of waterborne pathogens from unintended and isolated contaminations that are introduced into the water system. These can occur within a small locale in any nation with good and sanitary water treatment systems.
These unusual cases are usually caught quickly, and notifications are issued to residents and others with advisories to boil or disinfect drinking water until the contamination issue is corrected. Again, this happens in every modern, 1st world nation.
Immune System Function
The normal immune system allows us a wide tolerance for the unintentional and unnoticed intake of germs and microorganisms. This enables us to safely consume limited concentrations of pathogens or parasites in food and water. Our immune systems can effectively deal with this intrusion and keep us from becoming ill. If it didn't, we would be sick from food and water on a fairly frequent basis.
Standards of food preparation, storage, and water sanitation are designed to reduce, not eliminate, the level of germs and microorganisms below the threshold concentrations that would make us sick. It does not normally require the complete sterilization of those things we consume.
When we become ill from food or water or from directly touching contaminated environmental surfaces that then transfer pathogens to our mouth, nose, or eyes, it is because we have had contact with a concentration of the bad stuff that is higher than what our immune systems can handle to keep such exposures from becoming an illness or disease.
Immune System Deficiencies
The tolerance for germ exposures by a normal immune system can sometimes overwhelm those whose immune systems are compromised or not fully developed. For example, this is the reason why it is a good idea to not give honey to a child under 1 year of age.
Honey may be a carrier for spores of Clostridium Botulinum bacteria (botulism) as the result of dirt and dust which frequently contaminates honey. If present, the concentration of those spores is limited and the toxins at very low levels. The spores do not multiply in the honey. For adults and older children, that spore concentration is easily handled by the immune system and is of no real consequence. Infants and young children haven't yet 'matured' their immune systems enough to handle even that low spore concentration.
As with all geographic areas in the world, untreated water sources in Spain - - like surface waters (rivers, lakes, and streams) - - should be thought of as always at-risk for various bacteria and parasites. Viruses are far less frequently an issue in the wild. Heavy metal and chemical contamination may also affect surface waters, but those are not usually an issue outside of industrial and urbanized areas.
If filtration for non organic substances, heavy metals, and chemicals is vital there are filtration devices that can do the job. These usually involve additional filters that take the water through progressive stages of filtration.
For example: for pesticides/herbicides and pharmaceutical by-products, the most common way of portable filtering would be an addition of activated charcoal filter for chemicals. The addition of an activated charcoal filter will also improve the taste of the water.
For the type of backpacking mini-style filters talked about here, there are activated charcoal cartridges that easily attach to the main filter with tubing. Once the water has been filter for sediments and pathogens in the main filter, it then passes thru the activated charcoal cartridge. Then the fully filtered water flows into the drinking container.
Please note that these cartridges still have limited ability to completely filter out all traces of heavy metals compared to the larger home-style units that use reverse osmosis filtration. So the best strategy is to not use these portable filters or devices to filter water within urbanized and industrial areas.
As Camino pilgrims in Spain, we often see Fuentes (fountains) as we walk. Most times they are labeled as potable (drinkable) or non-potable (not specifically treated, or it is suspect). There are various Spanish words or emblems that indicate a fuente has water that is non-potable/drinkable. Learn them. Non-portable water can be effectively filtered for pathogens if you absolutely need the water.
Immune Deficiencies and Filtration vs Purification
There is a second issue to consider with regard to drinking water, as mentioned above, and that is the unique issue of the individual who is immune compromised due to either illness or genetics or age (very young or very old), or who are receiving certain medical treatments and medications. While normal individuals in reasonable health can and do safely consume water that is not absolutely and completely free from pathogens, the same consumption can mean severe illness or death to those with immune systems which are dysfunctional.
For these individuals, it is sometimes recommended to always filter water, and in certain cases, to add chemical treatments as well. OR use purified bottled water when traveling . . . even in 1st world countries.
For at risk individuals, routinely purchasing bottled water is an option. However, even for immune compromised individuals, water filtration can be a great solution that is less expensive than bottled water and far more flexible when dealing with diverse or limited water sources.
Due to word length limitations, and personal interest in the information, I have divided the post into two distinct posts.
Part One is background information about why filtration might be needed and when it is not needed. In general, normal immune systems require no filtration for water in Europe, and Spain's water meets the highest standards for treatment of public water systems.
Part Two specifically talks about the various types of portable water treatment systems and how they function. For those who just want this information, skip Part One and go to 'Part Two' posted below.
The types of water treatment systems referred to here, are those which are lightweight, very compact to carry, and are typically used for wilderness backpacking. However, they can also be effectively used for vacation travel and for walking a camino.
I am being purposefully sparse in scientific geek-speak and literature overviews in order to give those who are interested in the topic a place to start their own research. When specific equipment is mentioned, including things which I personally use, it is not a iron-clad recommendation; it is only a nod that that piece of gear works as intended. As can be seen from the many discussions surrounding gear choices - from shoes to backpacks to water container types - each individual will find what device or technique has the features and functions that suits their own unique, personal needs.
Part One
Why and When Water Filtration is a Good Idea
As someone who has made a career within Public Health at a government health district, I will note that the infrastructure for safe drinking water in Spain is easily the equivalent of any other EU country and other modern, western nations. In general, Spain's drinking water is very safe, and even safer than some other 1st world nations.
I never routinely filter my drinking water when in Spain. There is simply no need to do so. The purpose of this guideline is NOT to imply that the Spanish drinking water supply is questionable.
As can happen in every other first world country, there may be very infrequent and unexpected and temporary outbreaks of waterborne pathogens from unintended and isolated contaminations that are introduced into the water system. These can occur within a small locale in any nation with good and sanitary water treatment systems.
These unusual cases are usually caught quickly, and notifications are issued to residents and others with advisories to boil or disinfect drinking water until the contamination issue is corrected. Again, this happens in every modern, 1st world nation.
Immune System Function
The normal immune system allows us a wide tolerance for the unintentional and unnoticed intake of germs and microorganisms. This enables us to safely consume limited concentrations of pathogens or parasites in food and water. Our immune systems can effectively deal with this intrusion and keep us from becoming ill. If it didn't, we would be sick from food and water on a fairly frequent basis.
Standards of food preparation, storage, and water sanitation are designed to reduce, not eliminate, the level of germs and microorganisms below the threshold concentrations that would make us sick. It does not normally require the complete sterilization of those things we consume.
When we become ill from food or water or from directly touching contaminated environmental surfaces that then transfer pathogens to our mouth, nose, or eyes, it is because we have had contact with a concentration of the bad stuff that is higher than what our immune systems can handle to keep such exposures from becoming an illness or disease.
Immune System Deficiencies
The tolerance for germ exposures by a normal immune system can sometimes overwhelm those whose immune systems are compromised or not fully developed. For example, this is the reason why it is a good idea to not give honey to a child under 1 year of age.
Honey may be a carrier for spores of Clostridium Botulinum bacteria (botulism) as the result of dirt and dust which frequently contaminates honey. If present, the concentration of those spores is limited and the toxins at very low levels. The spores do not multiply in the honey. For adults and older children, that spore concentration is easily handled by the immune system and is of no real consequence. Infants and young children haven't yet 'matured' their immune systems enough to handle even that low spore concentration.
As with all geographic areas in the world, untreated water sources in Spain - - like surface waters (rivers, lakes, and streams) - - should be thought of as always at-risk for various bacteria and parasites. Viruses are far less frequently an issue in the wild. Heavy metal and chemical contamination may also affect surface waters, but those are not usually an issue outside of industrial and urbanized areas.
If filtration for non organic substances, heavy metals, and chemicals is vital there are filtration devices that can do the job. These usually involve additional filters that take the water through progressive stages of filtration.
For example: for pesticides/herbicides and pharmaceutical by-products, the most common way of portable filtering would be an addition of activated charcoal filter for chemicals. The addition of an activated charcoal filter will also improve the taste of the water.
For the type of backpacking mini-style filters talked about here, there are activated charcoal cartridges that easily attach to the main filter with tubing. Once the water has been filter for sediments and pathogens in the main filter, it then passes thru the activated charcoal cartridge. Then the fully filtered water flows into the drinking container.
Please note that these cartridges still have limited ability to completely filter out all traces of heavy metals compared to the larger home-style units that use reverse osmosis filtration. So the best strategy is to not use these portable filters or devices to filter water within urbanized and industrial areas.
As Camino pilgrims in Spain, we often see Fuentes (fountains) as we walk. Most times they are labeled as potable (drinkable) or non-potable (not specifically treated, or it is suspect). There are various Spanish words or emblems that indicate a fuente has water that is non-potable/drinkable. Learn them. Non-portable water can be effectively filtered for pathogens if you absolutely need the water.
Immune Deficiencies and Filtration vs Purification
There is a second issue to consider with regard to drinking water, as mentioned above, and that is the unique issue of the individual who is immune compromised due to either illness or genetics or age (very young or very old), or who are receiving certain medical treatments and medications. While normal individuals in reasonable health can and do safely consume water that is not absolutely and completely free from pathogens, the same consumption can mean severe illness or death to those with immune systems which are dysfunctional.
For these individuals, it is sometimes recommended to always filter water, and in certain cases, to add chemical treatments as well. OR use purified bottled water when traveling . . . even in 1st world countries.
For at risk individuals, routinely purchasing bottled water is an option. However, even for immune compromised individuals, water filtration can be a great solution that is less expensive than bottled water and far more flexible when dealing with diverse or limited water sources.
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