I agree with much of what the article's author says.
For my last two backcountry trips, I've brought some of the iodine pills to put in the water, but never did that before and have never filtered my water.
From what I've seen in restrooms, I suppose that most people do not clean their hands as much as they think they do. And it is bound to be much worse in the backcountry.
Also, I am not sure where the idea about fast-rushing streams being safer came from. It's quite the opposite for me, I like to skim the top surface of stagnant water, with the idea that such water has had more UV exposure recently.
And no, I've never gotten sick from drinking such water. I do feel a little safer though with the boiled water at camp, and as I said above, I do bring the iodine pills recently, using them for the stream water.