Bushwalk Australia

Can water in the gorge be drunk untreated?

My friend drank untreated water at wilsons p / running not brackish without consequences
But I am more circumspect

thx

Dr

Can't answer specifically but I do know that a stomach bug specially of the bacterial/critter kind will completely stuff a good walk and quite some time after you get home.

Not sure if you should or shouldn't, but my partner and I have drunk the water from lerderderg river unteated many times with no consequences, but only when the river has been flowing extremely well after rain. When the river is stagnet, we would carry water in, or treat the water.

If unsure, treat it.

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Use a hand pump filter every time and you 'll be fine. Yes I bought one recently so I am singing the praises of such a device. They are not cheap if you get one of the good ones but it means you can drink the water no matter what unless it is salty.

I've seen a few camp sites in woeful shape out there and prefer to treat for this reason.

The problem at Lerderderg right now is finding any water at all. The river is completely dry apart from a few, very stagnant pools. DR, your friend must be a real pioneer to drink untreated water.

Dino rover wrote:Can water in the gorge be drunk untreated?

Obviously individual choice - assuming it's not totally dry. However, it would be sensible to consider where the water comes from - have a look at a map.

Lerderderg drains farm land (ie cows) and the town of Blackwood (ie humans). There is no sewerage reticulation, just septic tanks (and a Government program to replace the 70% of systems that are failing!).

So, your call to filter/treat but I always filter in the Lerderderg.

I have drunk water in the Bears Head circuit section. But this was mid Spring and the river was very high, and after rain. I was ok. I was back in the same area last weekend and the river was dry. There were only literally a couple of very small stagnant pools.

I would still recommend you bring your own water or water treatment solution.

Thanks for responses
There is very little water reported in the gorge this week so a moot point perhaps
will take the advice to purify