Potable drinking water concerns?

[C.W. Richter]

'Love that guy (and his pretzels and cheesesteaks! He and Robert Morris were pretty important to the USA being cemented, via borrowing $ from France.) Whilst performing groundwater cleanups in the 5 boroughs of NYC once upon a time (the original industrial armpit that relocated to foul NJ), I handed a LOT of his likenesses over to local cops or other officials that demanded it on a daily basis to perform work on "Their Street!" SMH My cohorts now: "We do NOT perform ANY work in NYC!" It keeps Benjamin around. lol

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.”​

― Benjamin Franklin

 

[C.W. Richter]

Rainwater that's been collected off a roof (defecated upon by birds, other primates, reptiles etc.) is also a potential issue. Keep it out of the mouth. You're also drinking radiation from the nuclear testing, bombs and other releases around the globe (it's in most all water), but that's not going to kill you in Africa! RO and GAC can also remove a great many things you cannot see, smell or taste that will eventually make you sick.

 

[C.W. Richter]

One of the scariest beverages ever witnessed in Africa lol were these 2L plastic soda bottles re-filled with a very low grade fermented beverage (on the streets of Harare!) I inquired what it was (forget the name) but the brewery workers grab some wort while at work and/or make their own street grade coffin varnish. Looks like partially treated sewage wastewater. No thank you!

 

[Ridge Runner]

There’s nothing wrong with showering with rain water. In fact that would be the preferred method vs River water, that contains hippo shit, catfish shit, baboon shit and whatever else is in it, mining upstream is really bad too. The health concerns for intestinal parasites, i.e. Bilharzia, Giardia, Cholera or Typhoid which I was inoculated for two years prior. None of those are associated with rain water, which is easy to treat for drinking vs the vast differences in river water.

There are no doubts that there are more biological and chemical contaminants/ hazards in river waters vs rain water.

However, the way that rain water is collected and stored presents its own biological contaminants/ hazards from bird, monkey, baboon feces and insect larvaes.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Rainwater that's been collected off a roof (defecated upon by birds, other primates, reptiles etc.) is also a potential issue. Keep it out of the mouth. You're also drinking radiation from the nuclear testing, bombs and other releases around the globe (it's in most all water), but that's not going to kill you in Africa! RO and GAC can also remove a great many things you cannot see, smell or taste that will eventually make you sick.

You were faster posting than me in pointing our like minded rain contaminants. LOL.

 

[C.W. Richter]

so, this variant is a low-grade sorghum beer. the brewery workers borrow raw materials, make and sell their own hooch on the streets, often carrying a dozen (tied in pairs for ease of carry sling) via bicycle (Zimbabwean Food/Drink Trailer!) I see there are some commercial variants now with labels in RSA/Zim. Looks like Yoohoo. I'd sooner drink the borehole water!!! 'No issue walking into a Shebeen for a first-time bottled brew! Bottoms Up (but which Bottom in this case??)

 

[Quest#1]

Bottled water only for me!! Last trip to moz was extreme drought and well was dry. Spent 3 weeks showering with a shower bag and river water.

After a long day felt amazing lol. Did spend a hr in the first real shower after that.

 

[C.W. Richter]

'No issue saying that true African beers of English/Dutch/German origin, brewed in most countries, are among the finest in the World, and certainly much better than garden variety American beer! So, as the man said above, drink the commercial brewery beers and bottled water! Castle, Tusker, Zambezi, Windhoek, Taffel, etc. all very fine. I miss it!

 

[C.W. Richter]

OMT lol (you had me at Water! lol) Once we were hunting in the Save river valley in (the other end of) Zim, and at times on the periphery of huge "Sugar Estates." That region produced a LOT of the world's sugar. Anyway, in the small tributaries that feed the Mkwasene River (that flows into the Save), they accept runoff from the sugar field irrigation trenches and even some process waters from farther upstream. I smiled profusely tracking buffalo in this milky water, and when small herds of daggaboys ran past us in the thick at remarkable speed, I swear to you one of 'em exclaimed "They'rrrrrrrre Grrrrrreaaat!" just like Tony the Tiger O' Frosted Flakes. It's hard hunting there as all wild game are in sugar shock! lol Practice up!! One lump or two?? (They've had 100s per day. Also good body mass!)

 

[Pondoro]

'No issue saying that true African beers of English/Dutch/German origin, brewed in most countries, are among the finest in the World, and certainly much better than garden variety American beer! So, as the man said above, drink the commercial brewery beers and bottled water! Castle, Tusker, Zambezi, Windhoek, Taffel, etc. all very fine. I miss it!

Make mine a Windhoek..

 

[C.W. Richter]

OMT lol (you had me at clean Water! lol) Once we were hunting in the Save river valley in (the other end of) Zim, and at times on the periphery of huge "Sugar Estates." That region produced a LOT of the world's sugar. Anyway, in the small tributaries that feed the Mkwasene River (that flows into the Save), they accept runoff from the sugar field irrigation trenches and even some process waters from farther upstream. I smiled profusely tracking buffalo in this milky water, and when small herds of daggaboys ran past us in the thick at remarkable speed, I swear to you one of 'em exclaimed "They'rrrrrrrre Grrrrrreaaat!" just like Tony the Tiger O' Frosted Flakes. It's hard hunting there as all wild game are in sugar shock! lol Practice up!! One lump or two?? (They've had 100s per day. Also good body mass!)

 

[Rare Breed]

I’m curious how many members have gone to Africa and experienced unsafe drinking water conditions? Or bathing in and/or brushing your teeth in contaminated water?

I left after a gentleman, a client said his hunting buddy had a pint of puss drained from his kidneys or liver? But after multiple attempts to clear up my illnesses and even driving an hour away to get safe drinking water after working for a well known Outfitter twenty years ago for not having a well, (bore hole as they call it) and only a pump in the river.

Has this issue changed over the years or is it still a problem?

To be crystal clear, pun intented, I have no problem using water to bathe from local area, just me, I absolutely will not brush my teeth or consume any water that is not bottled...period!!!

 

[Ridge Runner]

Make mine a Windhoek..

And on that note.......

Alcohol seems to sterilize everything; and water is essential;

I'll go with the appropriate amount of gin to kill the bacteria in my {tonic} water. I would think 1.5 parts gin to 1 part tonic water in a 1 liter glass should be sufficient. FYI the glass may also have bacteria inside.

 

[deewayne2003]

As a rule I stick to bottle water for teeth brushing and drinking and then comfortable bathing with the local water unless instructed otherwise.

Now in the back country of the NT, I simply couldn’t carry enough water so thankfully I brought a Sawyer Squeeze with me and used it to turn dank swamp water into drinking water.

If your worried about it, I suggest a Sawyer squeeze, you can process lots of water with it and it’s light.

 

[Hogpatrol]

At a fishing camp in Angola was told don't use spigot water for anything but bathing but plenty of bottled water on hand.

 

[steve white]

Make sure any bottled water is only opened by you--not a waiter with a flourish hiding a refilled bottle. Don't drink the shower water or get it in your mouth. Bottled water is a safe solution.
My mainstay for travels from Africa to Siberia has been a First Need pump with a ceramic filter. I have mega trust is ceramic filtration, by experience. They even filter viruses. I don't go anywhere without one.

 

[Laura AK64north]

Life straws a cheap thing to pack.

Ditto LifeStraws, water filter straw. They are slim and fit in a pocket or small pack, on or with you, no matter the situation. I also travel with a large LifeStraw water bottle. When traveling it is clipped with a carabiner to a pack, luggage, whatever I can clip it to in a situation. Amazon has a good selection.

 

[R eight]

This stuff is good. Inexpensive, easy to use and quick.

https://www.anacondastores.com/camping-hiking/hydration/water-purification/aqua-prove-water-purification-kit/90062970?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20819798597&gbraid=0AAAAADsxLeyXKs4CmiGDovJVw2sjokWL-&gclid=CjwKCAjw-dfOBhAjEiwAq0RwI0WWwOyHCJOeW54IaQqY0mMSMnMzadfoZN75y2Es0rBf3DFtkkNlxhoCmOwQAvD_BwE