We finally used our Platipus water filter in a pond fed by a spring. It tasted like dirty water to me, which worked fine for our coffee and food, but just wouldnt do for drinking water.

The fellow next to us mentioned using citric acid but that it would taste like chlorinated city water, which just wouldn't do.

I wondered about a charcoal filter to place inline, which would likely slow the flow (it's quick which is why we bought it), but I'd take quality over speed every time.

Suggestions and options to have plain ole water sought after.

I would recommend trying one of those Brita filter bottles. They're inexpensive (think I spent $8), and the filter and cap can be put on a lighter bottle, like a reused disposable water bottle. If you get just the filter itself, it's even less, but my local stores don't carry the filters separately, and I don't think they come with the cap. Just put the filtered water from your Platypus in the bottle and then squeeze through the Brita charcoal filter when you want water to drink or for something else. If it still doesn't taste good, at least it didn't cost much.

That's a good idea!

We bring insulated water bottles anyway. May as well swap one out.

yup, I use a Brita bottle filter for water I am going to drink. Another option is flavoring the water. You only need this for water you are going to drink straight. If you cook with it, the taste is usually too subtle to matter. Lemonade powder and iced tea powder work well. True Lemon packets work well if you don't want the sugar. I would say it tastes more like water with a lemon wedge you get at a restaurant rather than chlorinated.

I was shown that Platypus actually sells an inline carbon filter for it. REI carries it.

I had a squirt bottle of Tang. Taste pretty damn good. You can take a small medicine bottle and poke holes in the bottom, fill it halfway with activated charcoal from an aquarium store. Then run your filtered water through it. Be sure to rinse the charcoal first. Only weighs a few ounces