here is an interesting idea.
solar pasturizing
The website kind of sucks... some links don't work...
the following company sells them...
Modern outpost

I guess if you expected to be in a location with water and sun it could be useful... at least if the ol' iodine ran out you could still use this <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well, if you're in a location without water, you're kinda hooped anyway <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It's a really neat idea - too bad the "click here to purchase" link doesn't work. You'd think people smart enough to come up with an idea like this would be smart enough to hire some high school student who knows how to set up a decent web page <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pasteurization: There's a much better and cheaper solution...: UV radiation AND heat.
Have a look.

Greetings,

Sir Vivor

on this frrum http://pub1.ezboard.com/fhoodlumsquestionsandanswers.showMessage?topicID=2959.topic they have started a topica about waterpurification by sun 2.
I don't really get using the UV-light, as far as i understand from a few links on that post is that you can kill bacteria by simply fill a thin layer of water in a transparant container and lay it in the sun... don't trust it, and it doesnt kill gairdia and stuff....

Pasturization is an extremely useful process in areas where clean drinking water is not readily available.
Filtered water (thru cloth) put into plastic 2 liter soda bottles spray painted black and put in the sun for a few hours (better if put on a refective surface will pasturize the water making it safe to drink.

How to tell the water has reached the required 70 deg celcius temp ? Paraffin will melt at 70 plus degrees. So some container with some solid paraffin (candle wax) inside a silmilar container placed next to the water will be the indicator. When the wax melts, the water is done!
<img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thank you for the web site. I will bring this information with me to Ecuador in July for integration into our annual health/rescue training trip. Pete