Is it ok to filter from the ponds in BSP?

[Novelectro]

I'm new to water purification and just want to make sure which sources I should be treating while in BPS. Is it alright to take water from the ponds?

[illabelle]

Ok to use water from ponds. We treat all our water, regardless whether it comes from a pond, stream, spring, seep, puddle, or even the pumps we saw on the trail in CT/NY (in addition to rusty sediment there were signs posted about bacterial contamination).

Some people swear they've never treated water and never gotten sick. That's nice. I like to drink clean water.

[peakbagger]

Yes treat from the ponds if you must but the preference is moving water, usually on the inlet. Many of the water sources in softwood areas at BSP (like a lot of Maine) have a lot of very fine particulate including tannins. Those using filters may have to backwash more often then expected. It doesn't affect chemical treatment but on occasion may give the water a slight brownish color. I usually recommend to folks who are car camping to carry in drinking and cooking water from outside the park for use at the drive in campgrounds. They don't have public water sources and the local streams can sometimes get contaminated by campers not following the rules and common sense. Once you are in the backcountry and away from the popular dayhiking trails its not a concern. Russell Pond had a beaver move in on the inlet brook and the water source is the pond, it has decidedly stagnant odor to it.

Note Giardia is endemic to maine and there is no need for humans to be around to spread it, therefore unless the water coming out of the ground from a hole in rock, treat it.

Many of the campgrounds have water sources for the ranger (not for public use) more than few rangers do not treat that water which is usually pulled from water source upstream of a campground or from one remote from any use.