"rb608" wrote in message
...
On Feb 19, 10:54 am, "Danl" danlfinn@*remove this*intergate.com
wrote:

I've shied away from the filter devices out of paranoia about them as
bacteria factories. How often do you use yours? I suppose this is a
maintenence/operation question for the manufacturer, but do long
periods on non-use contribute to bacteria growth in the filter, or is
that a non-issue?

Joe F.

I use mine a couple of days a month in the winter; a couple of days a week
in spring and summer, except when I'm on an extended outing, like a clave or
other gathering, when I probably use it every day for a week or two. If I'm
not going to use it for a week or more, I rinse the bottle, filter and top,
and let dry until I need it again. I haven't had any trouble with mine, but
I know of one instance of folks who have been hit by giardia when the filter
wasn't maintained, so be sure to replace the thing every year or every 50
gallons or so (see mfg instructions), whichever comes first. The replacement
filters are cheap (about $3), so order severalfew when you order your
bottle. When you get your bottle get a good feel for how much pressure
(squeeze) it takes to force water though the filter. It takes a pretty fair
squeeze to filter the water. If, while using the bottle in the field, the
ammount of pressure required to filter water decreases significantly, change
the filter as this may indicate that the water is going "around" rather than
through the filter. I have had no trouble with mine and recommend these
gizmos.

Danl