Potable Water & The Glenelg

[fairman]

Hi everyone
Just a quick question - I'm doing a multi day kayak down the Glenelg soon, and I was just wondering for anyone who has done this before how you have approached drinking water? Have you relied on the tanks at the campsites? After treatment is it ok to drink the Glenelg? Or have you just packed all your own water in?

Apologies for this question not being directly bushwalk related, but I guess kayaking is like walking on water... sorta

[Drummo62]

I've kayaked Dartmoor to Nelson and walked GSWW and relied on the tanks (treated) at campsites. Portland airport has had about 40mm of rain during Feb so tanks (if not at car camping sites) are probably ok. I would think the river water upstream from Moleside would be ok to treat and drink but it would get more brackish as you get closer to Nelson.

[fairman]

Excellent. Thank you very much. So the Glenelg is ok to drink, even despite the upper reaches of it being fairly heavy duty agricultural lands?

[neilmny]

Excellent. Thank you very much. So the Glenelg is ok to drink, even despite the upper reaches of it being fairly heavy duty agricultural lands?

As Drummo said the key is treat, filter with something like a Sawyer Squeeze and boil and the same would go for the tank water as well.
The water will be far from potable. The choice is yours. Personally I would take water rather than drink from the river.