Generally speaking, these are some of the areas around the world where you should not drink the water without treatment (and the disease risks):

Indian Subcontinent
Cholera, Salmonella, Hepatitis A & E, Amebiasis
Africa
Salmonella, Hepatitis, Giardiasis, Amebiasis
Mexico, Central and South America
Salmonella, Amebiasis, Giardiasis, Hepatitis
Russia and former USSR countries
Giardiasis
Asia
Cholera, Salmonella, Giardiasis

To be safe, water in these areas should always […]

In areas where viral contamination is a risk a good water filter bottle used in conjunction with chlorine tablets will render your water safe to drink. There is no need to wait 30 minutes once the tablets are dissolved, since the filtration process removes the larger, hard-shelled creatures such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Unfortunately, no water treatment […]

Water filtration devices are one of the most economical answers for long-term travelers or groups. Those equipped with effective filters (.2 microns) remove all of the bacteria and parasites, and some of the viruses without changing the taste of the water, and without a waiting period. The filters are easily replaced and inexpensive, keeping the […]

There are five basic methods to address water safety problems: bottled water, boiling, distilling, and filtering.
For many travelers, the best option is a personal water filter, which filters water without the delay of distillation, or the thirty-minutes required with iodine or chlorine tablets alone. Not to mention portable water filters are the least expensive and most convenient […]

Undertreated water is a wonderful home for microorganisms such as viruses (polio, hepatitis), bacteria (cholera, salmonella, streptococcus), and parasites (Giardia Lamblia, Cryptosporidium). Exposure to these organisms can cause serious illness, and in some cases may be fatal.
These risks are avoidable when using the proper method of filtration. If you or someone you know travels internationally […]

Whether at home or abroad, everyone needs clean, wholesome water every day (a good rule of thumb is at least 1/2 gallon of water per person per day). Many countries do not impose the same sanitation requirements on their water supply that we are accustomed to at home, resulting in serious health risks to the […]

Think for a second. When you want the cleanest, best tasting water what do you think of? If you could put your hands on fresh, clean water right now, where would you turn? Tap water? Bottled water? Most likely not. Everybody knows that tap water is quite gross, and most bottled water is very expensive […]