Is it safe to drink water from lakes, ponds or running streams?? Come out with your views ...

Generally it is not hygienic to drink water from open sources as they may have high probability of contaminations. It is better to have a few water purifying tablets before drinking those water.

Don't drink any water from a public lake, or river, it might have contaminants in it.

And definately don't drink the tap water...boil it for 15 minutes if you must, fluoride and perlochate is really gross..not something you want to attach to the cell's nucleus. you can kill those nasty things if you let the water boil 10-15 minutes, that is after it has reached the boiling point.

When boiling water make sure to wash the container after you are done, since many of the chemicals will stain the sides if you let it sit.

There are a few public places where the water is drinkable, but I couldn't name one...maybe some volcano in australia or tasmania.

Your best bet is buy a water filtration system, a water pitcher with a replaceable filter, or just buy bottled water.

I usually buy bottled water. But on occasion I boil tap water, saves money and if you let it boil for 10 minutes or a little longer you can sterilize the water. Usually you can smell the chemicals as they are being burned out. Typical in most towns and cities.

If stuck in an emergency situation, boiling your water first is always best. If this is not possible, the cleanest water you can find will be from natural seeps out of rock. This can be through a natural spring, or even seeping ground water from cliff faces. The act of traveling through the natural rocks of the surrounding area usually purifies the water to a clean drinkable resources.

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-The Road Warrior