Originally Posted by
dellwilson
If you have streams or creeks nearby, you can carry a backpacking filter, which will give you unlimited range. My Sawyer Squeeze weighs only 108g, easily fits in a jersey pocket, and works great. It only takes a few minutes to fill a couple of 20oz bottles from a stream.
While it will filter particulate matter and most biological pathogens, it won't help with chemicals so you wouldn't want to drink water downstream from a factory that might be emitting some nasty chemicals.
This is the way to go. Check out maps to get an idea of what kind of natural water sources you'll be passing. If you're getting that far out there that you aren't passing convenience stores I'm guessing you're some where wild.