Questionable water from spring - Drink it or filter it?

[Jrax]

Two years in a row hiking in the mountains hunting elk we set up camp on a flat up top a ridge close a spring that flows out from the ground. Above this spring there is no other place of open water or any indication of water.

When i filled up the water bottles from this spring, as i was filling the last bottle i see this very small translucent worm about 1cm to 1.5cm long attached to a piece of grass. We spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out what it was a worm and if it was alive. It was a worm and alive. I dont have a pic. We remove the worm but ended up filtering water.

Next year we go back and i think to hell with this, i am being paranoid, it was probably no big deal. I am filling up water bottles in exact spot, right where water flows up from ground and damned if there wasnt another worm on the same piece of grass!!! WTH... We were about to just drink but my brother says .."there is probably worm eggs"

We laughed and filtered again feeling pretty damn rediculous. Does anyone know what this could be? would you drink or filter?

All new springs i find i choose NOT to look now, i dont want to know

[HarryToolips]

^^^correct, some are pathogens, some are not...as a precautionary measure I would definitely filter it, boil it, or use disinfection tablets.

[CReever]

There are many ways to deal with untreated water. Filter, tablets, etc.
A friend of mine had beaver fever twice while guiding in the NWT. He never drinks from any water source without using a Steripen or filter system now. He learned the hard way unfortunately.
Being cautious isn't going to make you sick.

[Fella]

Honestly, I would hate to have my hunt ruined because me or my partner drank unfiltered water and ended up with the squirts. It’s not that much effort to filter water and have peace of mind.

[Leaseman]

Better safe than sorry..... go with your gut to save your guts!

[Bustercluck]

I just started a thread on getting beaver fever a couple days ago. I have the shits right now, but it’s getting better.

Like you’ll learn when you start reading, the only way to be certain water is safe to drink is if you filter and sterilize. Sterilize meaning iodine tabs, bleach or boiling for 3 mins. From what I understand, some of these parasites are resistant to iodine and bleach, so they’ll live through that in their shell and must be filtered out. I’m not sure if filtering and a steripen is 100% effective, but a good filter will get almost everything out. From what I read, the giardia cyst is bigger than 1 micron, so anything with a smaller rating than that will get those out, which is probably the biggest concern.

Like I said in the other thread, my friend bought the msr guardian filter, which is supposed to make almost any water safe to drink without sterilizing, but it’s over $400. Small price to pay instead of getting sick. Full disclaimer though, I haven’t researched that filter myself, so you should double check the specs before you buy.

If I saw worms in my drinking source, I would definitely filter and sterilize. I hate iodine tabs, but maybe bring an extra 1 litre water bottle and two bladders you could filter and boil your water at night for drinking the next day and keep one bladder filtered for cooking and another filtered with tabs for back up drinking water. And put gravvol in your first aid kit, that’s experience talking.

[whitlers]

Always filter no mater how clean or quick it is. I always filter. Better safe than sorry.

[tyreguy]

You see worm in the water and you have to ask if you should filter it?
nah, just drink it.

[Mulehahn]

You said you ended up filtering the water anyways. If you already own a filter and are packing it anyways why not use it?

That being said, it is probably fine. I have never been sick from drinking from a spring. I also didn't get sick the two times I have fallen into beaver ponds and by the taste in my mouth I was still cursing when I hit hit the water so I just chalk it up to luck and filter and boil now.

[Bernie O]

What did people do before they heard of beaver fever? I drink when I am thirsty and find reasonably clean moving water. Having said that I also pack a beer for after the kill.