REASONS TO BUY
Easy to use
Lightweight
Packable
REASONS TO AVOID
Not safe to use long-term
Lower value than other chemical treatments
Poor taste
Potable Aqua Purification Tablets Review
This can be used as an emergency treatment system, but not much else
Credit: Amazon
Our Verdict
As an iodine-based chemical treatment, Potable Agua kills bacteria, viruses, and protozoa like Giardia (but not Cryptosporidium). It is a lightweight and packable emergency treatment option. This two-step system is super easy but requires some wait time before drinking water is safe. There are many different chemical treatments and we found that this offers a decent level of water cleansing, but the resulting taste and types of chemicals used are unparalleled. Even though this has been our chief testers' favorite for many years, we've discovered more affordable options that offer better water quality.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Potable Aqua Purification Tablets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Filter for Personal Use |  Best Bang for the Buck | |||
| Price | $8.97 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $40.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $14.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $10.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $14.15 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Lightweight and easy to use, these tablets can be used as an emergency backup to regular treatment | This lifetime guaranteed product is easy to use on the trail | The best chemical treatment option that will kill all pathogens when given enough time | Lightweight and reliable, this chemical treatment is perfect for lightweight travel or emergency use | Stash these tablets in your backpack and hope you never have to use them |
| Rating Categories | Potable Aqua Purifi... | Sawyer Squeeze | Aquamira Water Trea... | MSR Aquatabs | Katadyn Micropur Pu... |
| Water Quality (20%) | |||||
| Durability & Maintenance (20%) | |||||
| Treatment Time (15%) | |||||
| Weight & Packability (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Set Up (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Filtration (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Potable Aqua Purifi... | Sawyer Squeeze | Aquamira Water Trea... | MSR Aquatabs | Katadyn Micropur Pu... |
| Measured Weight (entire kit) | 2.3 oz | 5.7 oz | 3.0 oz | 0.1 oz | 0.45 oz |
| Removes Particulates (sediment, microplastics)? | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Effective Against Viruses? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Effective Against Chemicals? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Effective Against Heavy Metals? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Effective Against Bacteria? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Effective Against Protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium)? | Yes (Giardia = yes; Crypto = no) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Giardia = yes; Crypto = no) | Yes |
| Type of Filter/Purifier | Chemical treatment | Squeeze, in-line, on-the-go | Chemical treatment | Chemical treatment | Chemical treatment |
| Filter Media or Active Ingredient | Iodine and Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide | Hollow fiber | Chlorine dioxide | Sodium dichloroisocyanurate | Chlorine dioxide |
| Filter Pore Size (Advertised) | N/A | 0.1 microns | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of Liters/Gallons per Lifetime (Advertised) | 25 L / 6.6 gal | 378,541 L / 100,000 gal | 114 L / 30 gal (per package) | 60 L / 16 gal (30 tabs) | 20 L / 5.3 gal (20 tabs) |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Potable Agua is an Iodine-based chemical treatment that functions as an emergency backup method. It should not be a primary treatment method as it's not deemed safe for long-term ingestion. While it does leave a bad taste in the water, it's not as bad as some competitors. The price is low, but for the number of tablets you get per package, other emergency backup methods offer better value. While we love this product, there are better alternatives out there.
Performance Comparison
This two-step system is tried and true. While they do work and have been a staple in many kits, there are better emergency chemical treatment options that aren't health hazards and a higher value.
Credit: Amber King
Water Quality
Potable Agua uses Iodine & Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide as its primary active ingredient, which has been shown to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and protozoa like Giardia but does not protect against hard-shelled cysts that are resistant. It also treats effectively in everything from clear to cloudy water. If you plan on traveling in areas that have these as a concern, we'd recommend using drops that protect you from viruses or these hard-shelled cysts.
A look at the relative size of the different tablets that eliminate bacteria, protozoa (Giardia, not Cryptosporidium), and viruses. Obviously these cant filter out particulates.
Credit: Amber King
The taste of Iodine is one that some people hate, and others can't detect at all. For those who recognize it, you'll notice a strong metallic taste that becomes nauseating to ingest in large quantities. There are neutralizing tablets that are meant to dissipate the nasty taste, but these only lessen the effect.
If you plan on collecting water from a source with lots of sediment, expect to drink sediment, as these chemical treatments don't filter out particulates. Alternatively, you can easily pre-filter with a buff or handkerchief if you happen to come across a sandy source.
The Potable Aqua Iodine and Taste Neutralizer Tablets come in 2 glass containers. They are small and relatively light to carry.
Credit: Luke Lydiard
Overall, water quality isn't the best when using Iodine tablets. It's also essential to make sure you don't plan on using them as your primary source of purification. According to Potable Aqua, this can be bad for your health. As a result, we recommend other chemical treatments or using this for emergency purposes only.
Be sure that you're not allergic to Iodine. Some people have this allergy, which can cause a reaction if you're not aware of it.
Durability & Maintenance
The jars are heavy-duty. Even though they are made of glass, they are thick and it would be hard to break them even if dropped on a hard surface. This type of treatment has no durability issues or maintenance. One jar has about 50 tablets, treating a total of 25L per jar. There is no expiration date on these tablets. In addition, you can simply put some into a baggie and carry them with you on the trail.
Treatment Time
The two-step treatment takes about 33 minutes in total. The first step is the Iodine tablet, which takes about 30 minutes to kick in. The second step is the neutralizing tablet, which you need to wait 3 minutes after the 30 minutes are over. You can also choose to use this system without the neutralizing tablet if the taste doesn't bother you too much.
Weight & Packability
These tablets are kept in two small glass jars, weighing only 2.25 oz together. The relatively small size and cylindrical shape make them very packable.
A look at the relative weight of both jars when carried together.
Credit: Amber King
If you wish to eliminate weight further, you can store the tablets separately in two different snack-size ziplock bags, which reduces the weight of the jars. Or you can carry step one, cutting the weight in half. Given how lightweight and packable they are, they are a great emergency option if you want to bring along a backup system. We've also used them for trail running in case we drink more water than anticipated and need an emergency fill-up.
Ease of Set Up
Set up is easy. Grab your tablets out of the jar and drop them into the vessel that needs treatment, using at least two tablets per liter of water. You will first need to collect your water, so select a storage vessel that can access both small and large water sources. If your water source is silty or full of sediment, you'll probably want to filter through a piece of fabric before or after treatment.
The Potable Aqua Iodine tablet instructions say to use 2 tablets for 1 liter.
Credit: Luke Lydiard
Ease of Filtration
This part is easy. Wait thirty minutes. After that time, add two neutralizing tabs per 1-L of water. These part two tablets eliminate Iodine, so it's important that you wait for the full 30 minutes before adding them. If you do this too soon, the Iodine may not kill all the water-borne pathogens that could exist in your source, which can be dangerous. After 33 minutes, you're free to drink.
Potable Aqua Iodine and Taste Neutralizer Tablets dissolving into water. They take 30 min to effectively purify.
Credit: Luke Lydiard
Unfortunately, we have found that the Iodine tablets will stain soft-bodied vessels such as hydration bladders and soft bottles. We've tried many ways around this and haven't found a great solution other than avoiding adding tablets to these storage vessels.
Hanging out in Iceland, we use the Potable Agua as our backup water treatment source with the plentiful freshwater sources that abound on this wet landscape.
Credit: Amber King
Value
Given that one jar only treats about 25L, it's not the best value product when it comes to chemical treatment. That works out to about $0.44 per liter filtered, which isn't the best-valued chemical treatment product, even though the price looks low.
Conclusion
Iodine is a classic chemical treatment method that is best used in emergencies. It is lightweight and easy to use. That said, it's not as good as other options. Iodine is not a safe option to use long term, and its relative value doesn't stack up to the competition.
—Amber King
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