Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets

by Potable Aqua

Product Features

• When drinking water is of questionable quality use Potable Aqua Germicidal Tablets to make most wa
• Confidently trusted by those who have to know - militaries relief organizations and campers every
• Safe Drinkable water
• Anytime
• Anywhere

Product Description

When drinking water is of questionable quality use Potable Aqua Germicidal Tablets to make most water bacteriologically suitable for drinking. Confidently trusted by those who have to know - militaries relief organizations and campers everywhere. Safe Drinkable water ... Anytime. Anywhere.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 3.6 x 1 inches ; 1.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000S87RGE
• Item model number: WIS101
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,131 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #3 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Hydration > Chemical Water Treaters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

421 of 427 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comparing chemical treatment methods, September 25, 2010

By 

Arthur Bradley "Arthur Bradley" (Eastern USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets (Misc.)

The EPA estimates that 90% of the world's fresh water is contaminated and unsuitable for drinking. The days of kneeling down on a hike and sipping from the stream are long gone. Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because water looks clear or tastes good that it is free of contaminants. That includes frozen water, which can house hepatitis A, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium for months.

There are many options for purifying the water, but this post will compare commercial products that rely on halogen chemical treatments.

Polar Pure - contains iodine crystals, has an almost indefinite shelf life if kept tightly sealed, and very inexpensive per dose cost, requires measuring the dosage using the cap (which can be imprecise).

Potable Aqua - contains iodine tablets, shelf life of up to four years if properly stored - if they've turned a light green don't use, moderately expensive per dose cost, easy to administer doses (two tablets per quart of water).

Micropur MP1 - contains chlorine dioxide tablets, has a shelf life of at least four years, moderately expensive per dose cost, and comes in easy to administer doses (one tablet per quart of water).

Simple household bleach - 2 drops per quart of water (assuming a a bleach solution of 5-6% hypochlorite), may wish to double the dose for cloudy water, shelf life of bleach is only about 6 months, must use a dropper to administer dose, very inexpensive per dose cost.

Tincture of iodine - 5 drops per quart (assuming a 2% iodine solution), may wish to double the dose for cloudy water, almost indefinite shelf life if properly stored, must use a dropper to administer dose, modest per dose cost.

All of the methods are effective at killing bacteria, somewhat effective against viruses, and of limited value against protozoa cysts. Cryptosporidium in particular is resistant to halogen treatments.

Most treatments only require 30 minutes. However, very cold water (i.e., less than 40 degrees F) should be allowed to sit for 2 or more hours, or be treated with a double dose.

As far as taste, all will introduce some chemical taste into the water. In a very unscientific taste test of chemical treatment methods, my own family concluded that iodine-treated water was by far the worst smelling and tasting, bleach-treated was second, and water treated with Micropur MP1 ready-to-use tablets was the least objectionable.

Finally, you can add Kool-aid to treated water to help the taste. Not only will it help to mask the chemical taste, but the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) converts the chlorine or iodine to tasteless chloride and iodide.

Please be kind enough to indicate if reviews are helpful.

Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family."

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great time saver, August 6, 2009

By 

Allan M. Lees (Novato, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets (Misc.)

When I hike in the wilderness I always carry an aluminium canteen & mug because then I can scoop up water and boil it to kill any micro-organisms that otherwise would create a party in my intestines. But when you're on the move you don't always have time to make a fire and boil water for 10 minutes, then wait for it to cool before drinking. These tablets can be dropped into any water container and voila, ten minutes later you have cool safe water to drink. A must-have anywhere in North America and they weigh practically nothing.

39 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Walmart sells these much cheaper, July 5, 2008

By 

MotherOfAnAngel (Blythewood SC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets (Misc.)

Just to let you know Walmart sells two bottles of this in one pack for around $6 in the camping department and I confirm what the one reviewer stated concerning SODIS. I saw a documentary on how India (I believe it was) took their bottled water (in clear plastic bottles) and set them out in the sun to purify it.

Thats even cheaper = FREE (not shipping on the sunlight)