Nate,

First welcome to this Forum. There are many threads on the use of KMnO4 for water treatment etc in the archives.

Do a search and loads will appear.

For a start take a look at this thread. This contains my first postings on this subject, hummmmm why do I recommend you start here? <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

KMnO4

I recommend taking a look at these outside sources

Drinking Water and Health
Volume 2
SAFE DRINKING Water COMMITTEE
Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards
Assembly of Life Sciences National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1980
ALSNRC site

The actual chapter consisting of 110 pages of Scientific Review.
Drinking Water Treatment

Both of the above links discuss water treatment at a community level but are useful to understand how effective treatment is evaluated.

Another easier read that covers more wilderness water treatment options can be found at
Water Treatment FAQ Version 2.2 By Patton Turner
ARK Water

Here is another source I just found today

High Altitude Water Treatment

After review of these sources and in forum discussions I personally do not consider potassium permanganate to be a good choice for water purification. The ability of it to destroy pathogens in water is questionable particularily when several other methods are documented as being far more effective. Boiling, mechanical filters, iodine (Potable Aqua, or Polar Pure-Kahn Vassher), and chlorine methods (several).

Water treated with KMnO4 is slightly pink/purple, getting the correct dose is not an exact science. The taste is less objectionable than iodine, but the treatment is most likely far less effective at destruction of various water pathogens.

Potassium Permanganate is a very strong oxidixer and the dry powder will burn tissues like eyes, lungs, mouth, nose if it contacts these tissues. For this reason alone it is probably not a good idea to use this with scouts.

You will find in the forum search, references to fire making with KMnO4, I think this can be fun, but again the cautions apply for the above chemical use dangers. As far as an emergency fire starter, I think there are far better, safer and more reliable options that should be learned first.

Good luck and post more questions as needed.