This is a very tough topic to discuss, one I find a bit like the metaphor of a group of visually impaired people encountering a pachyderm, with each describing it as a different creature.

I won't argue with the specific details here, but just empirically, many many people have a whole lot of experience at using Aqua Mira drops as their only water treatment with little in the way of ill effects. It's the only treatment that I use, but of course I use it in combination with some experience and common sense. I.e., I don't use it exactly the same way in every situation. Sometimes I don't use it at all, whereas in other cases I'll double the dose and/or treatment time.

Given that (a) there are differing things that can get you (giardia, crypto, etc), (b) there's typically a 1 to 3 week lag until the effects show up of drinking "bad" water, so that it's tough to really know what it is that got you if you do get ill, and (c) that we each have a differing collection of gut flora living in us that do a differing job of protecting us from bad stuff we ingest ... it's really perilous I think to make grand sweeping statements that won't be challenged on some level.

So the only statement I'm comfortable making here is that I've got a whole lot of miles under my belt with A.M. drops as my only water treatment, and I know several people with similar levels of experience who do the same, and we're all still comfortable and content using A.M. drops as our only treatment option going forward.