According to the World Health Organisation, 80 per cent of all illness acquired during travel is attributable to contaminated water. Even water that looks sparklingly clean can be polluted with E coli, parasites, viruses, animal waste, heavy metals and other toxins. And when travelling we can't always rely on a steady source of safe, bottled water. So for anyone camping somewhere remote and facing the prospect of having to use untreated lake or river water, or who is in a restaurant where they don't trust the water - or the ice cubes in it - a portable water purifier is a true hero product. travel@thenational.ae