Standing or flowing bodies of water are referred to as surface water. It is normally a mixture of groundwater and spring and rain water, although it may also contain waste water. Streams, rivers and lakes may contain minerals in widely varying proportions
Drinking pure water from clear-flowing stream surely is one of the fundamental joys of bushwalking. Unfortunately although it could be some of the cleanest, purest water on earth, any backcountry water source, no matter how high or remote, is susceptible to contamination from microscopic pathogens (...