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Drinking clean water
is very important during your travel no matter
where you may be. So, it is important to be very
careful on what you drink, especially ice which
is usually made from unboiled water. Use this
health guide to show you the many different
methods that you can drink clean water. In many
parts of Asia, it is better to avoid drinking
tap water but it will not kill you should you do
so. It is advisable to stick to bottled drinking
or mineral water. One rule to keep in mind is
that if you are not sure whether the water is
safe for consumption, always assumed the worst
case scenario.
Whenever you are
going camping or hiking, always pay attention to
water purification process. The best and simplest way of
purifying water is to boil it thoroughly.
Vigorous boiling for a few minutes should be
sufficient but at high altitudes, water
boils at a lower temperature making germs less
likely to be killed. Therefore the water should
be boiled longer at high altitudes. If you are
staying in hotels, making your own coffee or tea
will be much easier as flasks of boiled water
are usually being provided for.
Having your own
water filter is necessary if you are going for a
long trip. When buying a water filter, it is
necessary to read the specifications so that you
know exactly what it removes from the water and
what it does not remove. Simple filtering will
not remove all dangerous organisms, therefore,
if you unable to boil water, it should then be
treated chemically. Although chlorine tablets (Puritabs
or Steritabs) will kill many pathogens but not
some parasites causing giardiasis and amoebic
dysentery. Since drinking is a
must for all travelers at any place they may be,
always drink the cleanest water available to
reduce the risk of falling sick.
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