Does Boiling Tap Water Remove all the Contaminants?
Have you ever thought about the contaminants in your water? Have you ever thought that by boiling your tap water, the water was pure and rid of any contaminants since you boiled it?
This article covers the idea of boiling tap water. What actually happens? Does it make the tap water pure?
Why Boil Water?
Boiling water is an age-old secret to ensure that water is safe to drink. For instance, survival experts always suggest, when possible, to boil fresh water before you drink it. This greatly reduces the chances of getting sick from the water.
Bacteria and parasites are all eliminated at boiling temperatures – which are the contaminants found in water that can impose the greatest threat to human health in a short amount of time.
Does Boiling Tap Water Make it Pure?
While boiling water ensures that no bacteria is present in the water, it does not make the tap water pure.
If there was one primary goal of municipalities, it could be summed up in making sure that no bacteria is present in tap water. In fact, bacteria is the only contaminant that is required by law to have zero presence level.
Other contaminants such as heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, insecticides, other organics, and inorganics are not removed through boiling water. One could say that by boiling tap water, you are only making it more dense in contaminants.
What’s the Solution?
We recommend a series of three water purification systems to provide the highest quality of water when using tap water.
- Reverse Osmosis for Drinking Water Purification
- Whole-House Dechlorination
- Whole-House Water Softening
These systems ensure high quality water for every use.
When Does Boiling Water Make Sense?
Boiling water does have some great applications! Please don’t misunderstand me. Here are a couple times when boiling water is a great thing to do:
- If your water utility puts out a “boil water notice” – this is pretty uncommon, but it does happen sometimes.
- If you are planning on using a freshwater source that has not been purified – boiling the freshwater should remove any chance of getting sick from bacteria.
Lead/Heavy Metals
Lead and heavy metals can get into your water!
How? Often times the underground pipes that deliver your water are very old and begin to corrode over time.
Some of these old corroded pipes are made of, you guessed it, lead! As the lead pipe begins to corrode over time, your water will begin to have lead in it!
Read more about lead in your water and how to get it out!
Contact Us!
Understanding water chemistry and water contaminants can be confusing at times. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions – we’d love to talk with you!
Want to learn even more about whole-home water purification in Knoxville and Nashville? Check out our Knoxville and Nashville Residents Guide to Water Purification.
You can also contact our team!
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