Can My LifeSaver filter pee?

Why can’t I use a LifeSaver Water Purifier to filter pee?

(And other scary questions we are asked)

Believe it or not, this is a question asked hundreds of time a month on online search engines. Urine is one of the few things LifeSaver purifiers can’t treat, along with sea water and grey water, so we thought we’d look at ‘why’ in more detail.

Does a LifeSaver Purifier purify urine?

When featured on the Gadget Show some years ago, the presenter peed into his LifeSaver Bottle and drank it. We gifted one to a well-known British survivalist and the first thing he did was pee in it and drink it. In the car park apparently. (Must be a bloke thing.) Both survived, but I’m sure they’d have had bad breath for a while.

If you’re caught somewhere with no access to a river or lake, it must seem counter-productive to waste any source of water. However, urine contains more than bacteria (which can be removed); it also contains salts, toxins, ammonia and traces of medications - none of which would be removed by LifeSaver’s ultrafiltration.

Your kidneys remove these substances from your body because they are harmful if they build up to a high concentration. If you drink pee, you are forcing your kidneys to process these toxins again, and in a higher concentration than normal, which can cause permanent kidney damage. The salts can also make them flush through more water than you actually drink, leading to further dehydration.

ANSWER: So no – a LifeSaver won’t make urine ‘safe’ to drink, but it won’t kill you if you insist on doing once to make a point.

Does a LifeSaver purify Salt Water (Sea Water)

LifeSaver purifiers are ideal for water activities - paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, narrowboats and motor boats - but only on freshwater rivers or lakes. Again it comes down to the salt content. Ultrafiltration won’t remove anything dissolved in water – like salt – only things in the water – like bacteria, organic material, fish poo and sand.

Drinking seawater causes your body to become dehydrated because the high salt concentration forces your kidneys to use more water to flush out the excess salt than you actually drank. This can lead to increased thirst, nausea, vomiting, and eventually, kidney damage and confusion, as your cells lose water and your body's fluid and salt balance is disrupted.

ANSWER: No - a LifeSaver won’t make sea water safe to drink. Don’t ever drink sea water. Not even once.

Can a LifeSaver make grey water safe to drink?

Grey water is water that’s been used for bathing, showering, washing up or laundry (but not toilet flushing – that’s classed as Black Water – also not drinkable). It will contain microbiological contaminants such as skin, hair, particulates and food waste – which would be removed by a LifeSaver ultrafiltration cartridge - but it will also include soap, deodorant, detergent and other cleaning chemicals – none of which would be filtered out.

ANSWER: All these products have a DO NOT DRINK warning on their label. So don’t drink it. Even after it’s been used.

Will a LifeSaver Remove Microcystin Toxin?

Microcystin toxin is a type of liver toxin produced by blue-green algae that can contaminate freshwater in the UK, especially in warm, nutrient-rich conditions. It poses a health risk to humans and animals if ingested and can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, liver damage, and other issues. The toxin cannot be filtered out using a LifeSaver water purifier.

Ingesting water contaminated with microcystins can lead to stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. High-level exposure can cause permanent liver damage. Do not swim in or drink water from areas with visible algal blooms. If you suspect a body of water is contaminated, do not handle or eat fish from it.

You can identify blue-green algae by its appearance as green, blue-green, or brownish scum or streaks on the water's surface, often described as looking like spilled paint or pea soup. A simple ‘stick test’ can help differentiate it from other algae: if the material breaks into small, irregular clumps when poked with a stick, it is likely blue-green algae; if it comes up in hair-like strands, it is harmless filamentous algae.

ANSWER: It's more likely to form in still or calm water – so opt for fast flowing water if you can. Do not drink water with blue green algae in it. Ever.

Can a LifeSaver be used to filter coffee or wine?

The really scary question! Firstly, why would you want to do that?

ANSWER: It won’t remove the caffeine or the alcohol - if that’s your concern - will probably stain your filter, and will definitely ruin a perfectly good drink. So just don’t.

So there you have it

It’s scary to think there are so many people out there that have considered drinking wee – with or without LifeSaver purification. On that front the message is: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. For sea water, grey water and blue-green algae never take the risk. And coffee and wine? Just no.

If you’d like to know more about what a LifeSaver CAN remove, take a look at our Independently Tested page or get in touch.

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by Kerry Sommers

Excellent Water

I backpack a lot. After a recent trip where I ran out of water and the only source I could find looked a bit dodgy, I decided to ditch my standard filter and go purifier. First time out last weekend on the same mountains I'd previously had issues with water quality, the difference was obvious. The water from the wayfarer actually tastes better for a start. The dodgy water source was drinkable and I can honestly say no bad stomachs at all. I wouldn't have trusted my previous filter here and in fact went without previously. It's the way forward from here on for me.

The weak point of the whole system

Been through 2 in 2 years.
Helpful hints
1. Never pressurize too much as this will just pop off and be unfixable
2. The plastic insert will break off as soon as you touch it
3. Try not to ever touch this once you fix it
4. If it does break you can still use the jerrycan in an emergency by inserting a pen in to the hole and opening the tap using as a handle

Great for campervan

We have limited space in the campervan and I wasn't sure about the quality of the drinking water on some sites after reading reviews, so the cube gives us peace of mind. Easy to use, easy to setup, pure drinking water.

Great water filtering bottle however rather expensive

This is a great piece of kit for those who like to be prepared. For hikers or those wild camping this is something that should be kept in your backpack when out and about in case of emergencies. If, for whatever reason, you need to drink water that you have found in nature rather than carried with you, from a stream or pond for example, you need something like this. The filter removes viruses, bacteria, parasites, chemicals, microplastics and heavy metals leaving you with safe drinking water. It is really easy to use. Simply fill the bottle from the located water source and then drink as normal through the straw in the cap and the filters inside to the rest

In an emergency this little filter could save your life. Highly recommended for any adventurer. My only criticism is the cost. This is £174.99 (at the time of writing) which seems very expensive. Yes this could save your life however other options are available for a good chunk less in price than this. Due to the lack of value for money I have reduced my rating by one star.

What one thing would you take on a desert island...

LifeSaver Bottle Portable Water Filter and Purifier:

I've been aware of this product for about 10 years now but it may be much older.

You don't necessarily have to drink straight out of the bottle. You can pour the filtered contents in to something else if you like. Therefore using the 'Lifesaver' as a through-filter.

If you are in a desperate situation or can't get water in to the bottle easily, you can use the sponge at the bottom of the bottle to soak up water and then squeeze the contents in to the bottle. This may not be appealing, but I did say if you are desperate. So for example, if there is a shallow puddle on the side of the road that you can't get the bottle in to and no other water source nearby. You can dip the sponge in to the puddle and then squeeze the contents in to the bottle before following the pressurisation steps.

Because this is made out of plastic, you will have to be careful with it if using it out on the field. The last thing you would want is for it to crack.

I think the long term use-case of this product makes it worth while if you spend a lot of time out doors and are maybe traveling light. You will get a lot of use out of it before you need to buy replacement filters.