mantashrimpman

Oh, that sounds like a great trip. When I move home again, I want to do that hike.

Everything proposed will work to keep leptospirosis out of your drinking water.

- A backpacking filter will work.

- Chemicals (bleach, chlorine dioxide tablets, and iodine) will work if you follow the directions and mind the amount of exposure time of the chemicals to the water.

- Boiling your water will work.

- A UV purifier will work.

If you really want to be cautious, combining two methods (filtering and then using chemicals is the most common combination) will work but you will have to carry more stuff.

Leptospirosis is a problem in all fresh water in Hawaii. If you ever went swimming at the swimming hole off the Dupont trail in Tantalus, or jumped off of Mauanawili Falls, you risked exposure. The good news is that you live in Hawaii, and the docs know what leptospirois symptoms look like.

Aloha

Steadman