Does Boiling Tap Water Make It Safe?

You’ve probably read in survival guides that you need to boil water in order to safely drink it if you’re surviving in the wilderness. This would indicate that it’s safe to drink and a viable option instead of purchasing a water filter. 

Of course, reverse osmosis water filters and carbon filters work effortlessly for you, boiling your water all the time is time-consuming and potentially impractical. 

But, the real question is does boiling tap water make it safe?

The answer is yes, and no.

What Boiling Does To Water

Water boils at 100°C (212°F), this is higher than the temperature that most bacteria and other living organisms can cope with. As the temperature increases bacteria are less able to function, by maintaining the water temperature at 100°C for several minutes you’ll ensure that the bacteria all perish, in much the same way you would if you were left in a bath of boiling water.

Why This Makes Tap Water Safe

Tap water is cleaned by the local water treatment works. The treatment process removes debris and chemicals are added to kill bacteria, chlorine is the most popular choice. In theory, this ensures the water is safe to drink. 

However, it has to travel through miles of pipework before it can reach your home. The slightest hole in that pipework may not stop the water flow and can go undetected, but it will allow bacteria back into the water.

By boiling the water when it comes out of your tap you can kill any bacteria that has been picked up en route, ensuring your tap water is safe to drink.

Issues With Tap Water To Be Aware Of

Chlorine is an irritant and, in a high enough dose, can actually kill a human. Of course, the dose in your water is very, very, small. But if you have sensitive skin or are prone to allergies you may find that the chlorine is a nuisance. 

In addition, chlorine changes the taste of the water. 

Boiling for 3-5 minutes is not enough to remove the chlorine in your water, you’ll need to keep it at boiling point for 30 minutes to do this. That’s acceptable in an emergency but not practical on a day-to-day basis.

You also need to be aware that fluoride is added to water at the treatment works. This is to help strengthen teeth and bones, although some research suggests adding fluoride also increases the risk of cancer.

If you’re not sure and want to remove the fluoride then you need to be aware that you can’t remove it from the water by boiling it. In fact, boiling your water will evaporate the water and increase the concentration of fluoride. 

Finally, you also need to be aware that boiling will not remove lead and other debris that may be in your water thanks to its passage through miles of pipework. These pipes will slowly decay over time and tiny pieces will flake off inside the pipes, getting into your water supply in the process.

Yes, boiling water can kill bacteria in your water and complement the water treatment works to make your tap water safe to drink, but you need to be aware of the limitations above.