Is it safe to drink directly from a stream or river?

Question

It seems like that's how many of our ancestors got their water. With all of the contaminants that may be present in the water (decaying life, fecal matter from aquatic life, mud, etc), it doesn't seem very healthy to drink.

Anyone got any input about this?

Answer 1

GAWD!!!!

I can't believe all of the fear and loathing in people today!

YES!  Absolutely!!!!

If the water is clean and clear and fast moving, and especially if it is a mountain stream, by all means...drink your fill.  First taste the water, take some in your clean hand and take a little sip...if its fresh and sweet to the taste, dip your cup or coffee pot and fill er up!

I have been drinking from mountain streams all my life and never have been or gotten sick from it.

A couple tips, though:

1.  look for fresh animal tracks; if there are tracks next to the water, if they drink.....you can.

2.  also, where there are animal tracks, look upstream about 100 feet for animal tracks and more importantly any dung they may have left....if you find dunk next to the bank, you may want to go just about 25 ft further upstream of that dung to get your drink   ;-)

3.  make sure the water is fast moving, forming white water over the rocks out in the stream

4.  look for frothy foam anywhere near where you are, especially in calm areas and eddies; these foam globs indicate phosphates and nitrates in the water and may indicate agricultural or animal waste in the water.

5.  finally, keep your eyes open and your ears open while you're drinking...water draws all kinds of animals, even predators....be careful.

Answer 2

Much water is safe to drink (relatively). In Marine survival training we were taught when possible to put ammonia tablets in with water you get from natural sources, but if you are out and need to drink, it is fairly safe. Mountain streams are known for having fairly bad bacteria in them, but I have drank from them many times over the years and had no problems. To be safe though, put water purification tablets in your canteen or boil the water.

Answer 3

Used to be that flowing water was generally safe. Plants in the stream help clean the water and the fact that it is flowing is also a cleanser - many elements sink along the way.

Unfortunately today the things that are in the water are longer lasting and more dangerous. Actually sewage is not a major danger - but chemical items are. Unless you have a good sense of what's upstream, always safest to use a water purifying kit or tablets.

Answer 4

Boil it!

Answer 5

All of your previous answers are good. I'd like to point out that not all filtering systems are the same. Some only filter sediments, only a few have the technology to neutralize some chemicals. And I don't know any that kill organisms like Giardia. As was stated, it's not so much the solid elements in the water as it is the chemicals that can cause damage. That means that, yes, even the most remote mountain stream can be contaminated, because rainfall washes nasties from the atmosphere to the ground.

And Tommy, the reason you never get sick from drinking from any stream is BECAUSE you've always done so. You've built up a tolerance for the many things that are in the water. You would have gotten the first immunity to it from your mother, if she drank from streams, through the umbilical and then through breastmilk. And even if she didn't, your newborn immune system would have been a blank enough slate to develop resistances on your own.

Note: Being accustomed to the germs in the water is why Mexicans can drink the water and Americans get sick south of the border...they're used to the things in their native waters. And while I seem to be one of the few people who can drink any water with no repercussions (while my mother is not) I'm not willing to take unnecessary chances. Being sick from the water is a great way to ruin a roadtrip or vacation.

Answer 6

its alright if u dont mind risking your life on it. The water could have like 12 ppb of dioxine in it.

Answer 7

No you should not, ever since anthropological pollutants have been introduced our streams, its not safe to drink anymore.

Answer 8

The water will be contaminated with bacteria, especially e-coli and will make you sick if you have enough or if you are in poor health to begin with.  Our ancestors had two differences.  They drank this water from birth so their bodies built up resistance.  It is the same reason that in third world countries, the natives can drink the water, but those from countries with clean water can not drink it.  Also, our ancestors life span was 40-50 years where now we are pushing 75-80, a portion of it due top the fact we have clean water.  It didn't do them any good to drink it from the stream.

Answer 9

In the distant past it was, it certainly isn't now.

And can make you extremely sick and in some cases kill you.

Because of contaminated rain fall even remote mountain streams must be suspect.

Answer 10

No, I wouldn't drink from a stream these days without first filtering it.  

I think that our ancestors probably had more ailments than we do and maybe they were a little tougher!!

Answer 11

No, it is not. There is a good chance of it being contaminated with animal f***s, which can carry E-coli and make you very sick. Crytosporidium is another that can make you sick and die. There are also tons of bacteria and living organisms found in water that can make you very sick or give you a disease such as cholera and hepatitis.

Then there is man made pollution.

Drink water from a approved public drinking water system and you should be safe. America has the safest drinking water supply on a whole than any where in the world.

Note: ozone water treatment kills cyprto

Despite many"native" peoples having the ability to drink local water with no immediate sickness, there are still many times the outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases and their related deaths in third world countries.

You do not aquire immunity to Cryptosporidium or E-coli. You may develop a tolerance but it can still make one very ill.

Tommy is following some simple precautions and has been very lucky so far. People seem to rarely connect gastric distress here in the US with water they drink.

I work with a fellow who brags about growing up drinking well water out of a shallow well. He forgets that he had hepatitus at age 17

Answer 12

it is safe as long as there are no houses or farms around because fertilizers and sewage can get in the stream.

Answer 13

yes   in  the mountains      in Guerrero   ,where i am

now ,and in the mountains in    Africa where  i was

if    i drank from the river down below,it  wouldkill me for sure