Q How do I know when to change the filter? 
A We recommend 200 refills for the Urban and Survival filter or 6 months, whichever occurs first.  This is an approximation, erring on the side of safety. If you have no idea how many refills you've used, you should change the cartridge when you notice that the chlorine taste is coming through. This can also be done with the survival filter, filling the bottle with tap water as a test.
Note:the life of the filter will be reduced when used exclusively with purification tablets.

Q Can I use the bottle for other drinks such as orange juice and cola?
A No this would damage the filter.

Q I use my survival filter only occasionally when I go hiking. How should I store my filter in the meantime?
A We recommend removing the filter from the bottle, drying it out and leaving it in a cool dry place. Better still is keeping it in the fridge - not the freezer.  

Q What causes the unpleasant taste in tap water? 
A The main cause of this is chemical additives used to kill bacteria. Chlorine is the main additives used and gives off a particularly unpleasant taste as well as being harmful to the human body.   You will find that after using your Hydropal for a few weeks you will become more sensitive to the taste and smell of chlorine.

Q How hard do I have to squeeze the Hydropal bottle? 
A Both Urban and Survival cartridge bottles have been designed that they can be squeezed with one hand on the go. The Urban filter is less dense than the Survival and is therefore easier to squeeze. The "ease of squeeze" of both filters will increase with use.
 
Q When is just using the Survival filter enough and when do I need the extra protection of purification tablets? 
A Enjoying the great outdoors in North America, Australia and New Zealand can be safely done using only the survival filter. Discretion is needed in South America and Europe. The survival filter can be solely used in wilderness and mountainous areas. Tablets should be used downstream from towns, industry or intensive farming.
Note: the best rule is to inform yourself locally as one area may be OK and another not. If you are unsure, then we recommend the use of tablets. The use of tablets all through Asia and Africa is recommended.

Q Should I (and how do I) clean my Hydropal bottle? 
A Yes, it is a good idea to clean your bottle - especially the nozzle - as bacteria can build up. Just pull the nozzle out by hand and dismantle the bottle using the Hydropal spanner. (Hydropal Pro model only). Then wash everything, except of course the filter, in warm water with detergent.
The wide neck bottle allows for greater ease of cleaning.

Q What are Giardia and Cryptosporidium?
A These are micro-organisms known as "oocysts". They can be carried by animals and humans. Once they have been inadvertently brought to a stream or river, they multiply rapidly and can easily infect the whole surrounding water system. Although, Giardia is more wide spread, Cryptosporidium was responsible for for rendering Sydney's tap water undrinkable for over four weeks in 1998. These oocysts are larger than viruses and bacteria and are hard to kill using conventional methods such as chemicals and boiling. Filtering is a very reliable and quick method of removing them.

Q Does the Hydropal filter out the minerals in the water?
A No, filtering leaves vitamins and minerals in the water.