Purifying Water with Kelly Kettle

[Gabe]

Hello All,

In the past I have used puri tabs to sterilise water in emergency situations.
Now I'm looking to pick up a kelly/ghillie/storm kettle as I think it would be damn useful as we are heading towards winter. I usually set up camp near a resevoir which has clean looking but slightly peaty coloured water. Am I right in saying that if I boiled that up in one of the kettles for 5+ minutes it would be fine to drink (just for brews to most taste of the water would be replaced by coffee/tea); or would I still have to do something else to the water??

Excuse my inexperience.

Regards

Nathan

 

[nicodiemus]

Check out Red's guide to water purification. http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28811

Basically, if the water looks pretty clear, boil for 60 seconds and most things will be dead. It should be noted prolonged exposure to tannins (the brown stuff), could make you ill. I don't think this will be a problem for you, though.

PS: Kellie kettles / storm kettles are awesome fun, and great for impressing your non-outdoorsy mates.

 

[aarya]

When water is at a rolling boil, if you're at sea-level, everything living in it that could make you sick, is dead. Going up in altitude from sea-level means that water boils at a progressively lower temperature, meaning that time will need to go up. As nicodiemus said, to be absolutely sure, boil it for a minute or so, and anything living in it will be dead. Does not mean that there cannot be harmful chemicals or toxins in it though.

I also have a kelly kettle, bought four or so years ago. Really nice piece of kit, boils water quickly, without much other than sticks and dry grass as fuel.