How much water do you need to carry on the TD?

[flanagaj]

Busy sorting my gear out ready for July, and was wondering how much water most people carry.  I appreciate some stages are more remote than others, and it all depends upon the distance you cover each day.

If I said I intend covering 60-100/day and was going to carry 3 litres in backpack and am about to start making a bar slung holder for another 3 litres, would 6 litres see you through ok?

I am also going to take along my Sawyer water filter.

[NatHC]

This could be a very personal topic, but I was comfortable with 2 liters of capacity for most of the ride. The exceptions being the Basin and New Mexico south of Abiquiu, where I carried about 6 liters. However, I saw enough water sources in those sections that I would only carry 3 or 4 liters on my next trip. I'm pretty confident finding and treating questionable water sources though, so that's something that I'd recommend practicing if it's new to you. Also to consider, my pace was a little faster than you're planning, 100-150 mi/day. Good luck!

[flanagaj]

I agree that carrying extra water is really stupid, and you are wasting precious energy transporting it along the route.  If there are plenty of places along the way to filter your own water, then that makes much more sense.  I must admit that filtering water is totally alien to me and I have never used the Sawyer on a trip.

I am still yet to find a comprehensive guide and how to decide water you should / should not filter.  Standing / running water.  Viruses ...

It's all rather confusing 

[NatHC]

Here's a good summary of the different water treatment techniques, with some info about Giardia:
http://www.hikelight.com/18ultralightbackpackingwatertreatment.html

I myself used an eyedropper that I filled with bleach, and added a few drops to each 1L bottle that I filled. There were plenty of mountain streams that I would have been comfortable not treating, but it was just part of my routine.

[flanagaj]

Thanks for the link.  I know it's overkill, but I think I will adopt a filter water with sawyer filter and then add chlorine dioxide.   I will have 2 camelbaks with me, so can leave one treating whilst I ride.  The agitation caused by the bike will also help in ensuring the chlorine dioxide does it's job.

Like you said.  Find an approach that works for you and stick with it.  Deviation from a structured is when things tend to go wrong.

[NT]

Sawyer filter (plus maybe a prefilter like a bandana for super dirty water) should be all you need, though chlorine dioxide tabs as a backup in case you break/lose the sawyer wouldn't be a bad idea. No viruses that I'm aware of; that would be more of a worry for international travel.