Water is essential to our survival and health, and not having a clean water supply could prove fatal in the worst cases. As humans we need a clean source of water at all times. Without this simple requirement our bodies cannot function correctly. The problems associated with clean water are not new. It is estimated that over 2 million children die a year from lack of safe drinking water. So lack of clean water in many countries is not a small problem. Why take the chance, if you are planning on going somewhere with unsafe drinking water. Sure, you can buy bottled water, but everyone has heard the stories of bottled water being filled up with local contaminated water, why take the chance? Amoebic dysentery is an infection of the intestine caused by an amoeba called Entamoeba Histolytica, which among other things, can cause severe diarrhoea and even be fatal in the worst cases. Ameobic dysentery is a parasite that is found in contaminated food and drink, especially water. With a good water filter you would be protected from dysentery in the water you drink. Even if you buy bottled water it is always a good idea to filter it if you don't trust where you purchased it from.



There are quite a few different brands of water filter available and they come in all shapes and sizes. The question every consumer asks is which water filter offers me the best value? This question is probably best answered depending on what your usage for the water filter will be. Are you planning to go out into the wilderness for extended periods of time? How much will you need to use your water filter, every day, once a week? These are all things you need to think about when buying a water filter. The main factors that will help you decide on what filter is best for you are factors like, weight, durability, lifespan, reputation and reliability. There are a whole range of products on the market which range from the cheaper water bottle style with an inbuilt filter to the industrial never-die portable units with replaceable ceramic filters.

If you are planning to go into areas where clean water is not going to be available, it is essential to buy a top of the range filter, in which case you are probably looking at spending around US$250. There are several differences between high and mid to low end water filters. The most noticeable difference is usually the build and material qualities that have been used to make the filters. The other main difference is the size of the gaps or holes in the actual filter. The medium to cheaper end water filter tend to be built out of plastic, sometimes even with a plastic pumping mechanism. Filters made out of plastic are ok, if you are not going to be in life threatening situations if it brakes. For complete peace of mind it is really hard to go past a well built metal water filter that you know is not going to break the first time you accidentally step on it, or the hundredth time for that matter.

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