I use chlorine tablets. I find that it takes some time before the chlorine does not smell. I really do not know what that exact time is, but I have consumed some water early and it had a distinct chlorine smell. If I let it go for 4 hours there is no smell.

Using chlorine tablets is very light but takes lots of planning. I usually treat one 2.5-liter platypus when I get into camp. I cook with untreated water, because it boils when I cook. Say I get in camp at 4PM, the first thing I do is get water and put in 2 tabs. The water will be ready by 8PM. I try to save one cup of water during the day so that I can have enough to mix my Emergen-C when I get into camp. Then I drink tea made from boiled untreated water. Before bed I pour some of the treated water into my drinking bottle for the night. In the morning I gather more water and use it untreated for breakfast. Then I pour the remaining treated water into my water bottle(s) I carry during the day. This works for me, but if you are a huge drinker of water, it may not work as well.

Also, most of the water I encounter is probably just fine without treatment. I really do not hesitate to drink untreated water if I need to. Treating some of the water simply reduces the risk. The risk is pretty small to begin with.