Does Boiling Water Kill Everything?

Recently, a boil water advisory was issued for some areas of Frederick County after the water main broke. Although officials don’t think the water was affected by the incident, as a precaution, they are still advising people to boil their tap water before drinking or using to prepare food. In this article, you can learn more about why a boil water advisory is issued, what boiling water can remove, and find filtration solutions that can solve all your water problems.

A Boil Water Notice is an official alert issued by local water authorities or health departments advising residents to boil their tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth. Besides, a boil water notice is usually issued whenever a main water pipe breaks because contaminants are more likely to get into the water through the cracks and gaps of the broken pipe. If that happens, it would contaminate the entire public water supply system in the county and make water unhealthy to drink and consume.

Boiling can effectively kill pathogenic microorganisms in water and reduce the possibility of health risks caused by water quality problems. For this reason, public water utility companies and departments will typically send out “a boil water notice” to residents to warn them that they need to boil their tap water first before drinking or using it.

The following are all the possible contaminants that can get into the water after water pipes suffer damage or break.

Microbial pathogens are basically parasites, bacteria, and viruses that exist in ground soil and sewage. If a water pipe breaks, these pathogens can seep through the tiny gaps and openings in the pipe and then get into the water.

If a person drinks water contaminated with microbial pathogens, they are at a high risk of developing a gastrointestinal infection.

Most properties have different kinds of chemicals spread on them, such as fertilizers, solvents, pesticides, and petroleum solutions. If a water pipe breaks on the property, these chemical pollutants can find their way into your broken water pipe quickly. Then, your entire water supply will become contaminated.

When water pipes are damaged, there is a high risk of harmful metals such as copper and lead seeping into the water supply. These metals can contaminate the water supply and pose serious health risks to those who drink it.

A broken water pipe can cause rust and other debris particles from the soil to contaminate your water supply system.

Boiling water is the simplest and most common way for people to destroy the pathogens in their tap water. The World Health Organization claims that boiling can cause viruses, protozoa, and bacteria to become inactive. Bacteria begin to die at 149°F (65°C) , but boiling water for one minute is still a good precaution. You can boil the contaminated water for one minute to kill bacteria, viruses, and protozoan pathogens like cryptosporidium and giardia.

Boiling water is an effective way to eliminate many pathogens, ensuring water is safe to drink. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency , boil water for at least one minute to ensure these pathogens are eliminated.

At altitudes above 5,000 feet (1,000 meters), water boils at a lower temperature due to reduced air pressure. In these cases, it is recommended to boil water for at least three minutes to achieve the same level of pathogen elimination.

Please note that boiling water only eliminates most microorganisms from it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , boiling does not eliminate chemical contaminants, pesticides, industrial solvents, sediment, or heavy metals from the water. It also doesn’t remove physical impurities, such as particles, from the water. Keep these limitations in mind.

Re-contamination is always a possibility after boiling water to remove microorganisms. That is why you must store the water properly to avoid re-contamination. Make sure you wait until the water cools down first before handling it. Otherwise, you run the risk of suffering burns or scalds on the skin if boiling water gets on it.

You may notice that your water will taste different after boiling it. That is perfectly normal since the intense heat from boiling eliminates oxygen and other dissolved gases from the water. Because of this, the water ends up tasting different.

Since boiling doesn’t eliminate all the contaminants from tap water, you need to consider other possible filtration solutions to target them. It is the only way to ensure that you drink the healthiest water possible. Here are some popular water filtration alternatives.

The distillation water filtration method begins by boiling the water. Meanwhile, water vapor separates itself from the water and is collected somewhere else. Then, the water vapor is condensed and turned back into liquid water. Distillation can remove parasites, bacteria, and viruses.

However, the CDC claims that water distillation doesn’t remove all bacteria or any chemicals from the water. Distillation also requires more electricity consumption than other comparable water filtration methods.

The water softener method uses an ion exchange process to remove iron, nitrates, heavy metals, manganese, arsenic selenium, sulfate, and other minerals from the water. It does this by replacing the magnesium and calcium ions with potassium and sodium ions. Some may also remove fluoride, which helps prevent cavities. However, water softeners do not remove parasites and bacteria .

According to the Minnesota Department of Health , drinking water directly from a water softener may result in higher sodium levels in softened water. Relying on a water softener alone cannot ensure that all potential hazards are absent from your water.

Ensuring the purity of your tap water is essential for health and well-being. For comprehensive tap water purification, reverse osmosis system s stand out as a top solution. The reverse osmosis system uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate most impurities, viruses, parasites, and bacteria from the water.

According to the CDC , it can also remove some types of chemicals from water, including lead, copper, chromium, chloride, and sodium. They may also reduce levels of arsenic, fluoride, radium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, and phosphorous.

Related article: How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?

Here is the perfect solution to healthy water needs. Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Hot Cold Water Dispenser certified by NSF 372 for lead-free materials, is ideal for families seeking convenient access to water at different temperatures. Tested by SGS , it effectively reduces TDS, PFOA, PFOS, Chlorine, Fluoride, Arsenic, Lead, and more.

Boiling water is an effective temporary disinfection measure, especially when water supply safety is threatened.

However, while it can address biological hazards, it does not eliminate chemical contaminants. In cases where chemical contamination is a concern, additional purification methods such as the reverse osmosis system are needed.

In summary, boiling water is only a temporary solution. For long-term safety, it is critical to address the root cause of water contamination and restore a reliable and safe water supply.