This Genius Gadget Lets You Safely Drink From A River

By Aline Peres Martins, Organic Life

People have long known that their tap water was contaminated—most just didn’t know to what extent. After the Environmental Working Group released a comprehensive database outlining the contaminants in drinking water across America just a couple weeks ago, everyone can now see what, exactly, plagues their own tap water.

[post_ads]It’s still more sustainable to drink tap water than bottled water though, so we came up with a list of the best water filtration systems for your home because filtering water is effective. It can remove contaminants like chlorine and chromium.

In fact, filtration can be so effective that one company created a straw that can instantly make any water safe to drink. Originally developed to remove parasites from water in developing countries, the LifeStraw claims to not only remove toxins, but also effectively all waterborne bacteria and protozoa. 

If you’ve ever been out for a challenging hike, you know how devastating it is to run out of clean drinking water. When it happens, you feel like you’re at a dead end—depending where you are, drinking river water can put you at risk for serious diseases. You can easily ingest E. Coli and salmonella, or contract Giardiasis, an intestinal illness caused by parasites, from just a couple sips. This can result in diarrhea or dehydration.
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With the LifeStraw’s proprietary, EPA-approved hollow filter membrane, you can sip water straight from a lake, river, or practically any other water source, and it will come out clean. And, at just 2 ounces, the straw is ultra-light and made entirely from food-grade, BPA free material.

It’s so effective that we included it on our list of essentials for an emergency go bag. But really, it should be essential for anyone going out on a long hiking trip.