Having access to clean and safe drinking water is essential to staying healthy, and to some extent, it is also connected to the quality of water purifiers used today that make drinking water safe through technologies like RO, UV, and UF. One of the easiest and most traditional ways of purifying drinking water is by boiling it. The boiling method of water purification can be one of the most suitable methods because it is extremely affordable and can be conveniently done without the need for any complex apparatus.
However, we need to consider how efficiently it makes drinking water safe and whether it is possible for this method to eliminate all types of impurities from the water. Let’s understand how the boiling purification process works, its advantages, disadvantages, uses, and how it compares to the methods of purification of water that it is mostly compared with.
What Is the Boiling Method of Water Purification?
The boiling method is a method of purification that essentially means boiling water at an extremely high temperature for a certain period, which then kills and also inactivates a large percentage of harmful pathogens, such as viruses, some bacteria, and certain parasites that would otherwise be present in contaminated water.
The basic idea in this purification method is very simple: heating the water up to the level of a boiling temperature and keeping it there for some time. After that, it is allowed to cool in a safe, covered container and is then ready for drinking.
The boiling method is very handy during such events where one is unsure about the quality of drinking water available or if other water purification methods are out of reach.
How Does It Purify Water?
When water reaches its boiling point, the living organisms in the water are either disabled or killed. Since we do not want anything harmful to remain alive or function properly, the high temperature makes it difficult for these microorganisms to survive and effectively makes them inactive or dead, making the water safer for human consumption.
The boiling method does not remove pollutants, as they are not physically filtered out of the water. It mainly aims to eliminate bacteria or viruses.
One needs to bring water to a vigorous boiling temperature to disinfect it, but you don’t want the water to evaporate completely. You also do not want to store it in any uncovered containers after treating it, as it could become contaminated again.
What Are the Steps Involved?
- Collection of water: Use a clean container to collect the water.
- Heating the water: Place the water in a proper container and heat it using an energy source.
- Boiling the water: Boil the water until it reaches a point where it has a vigorous boiling appearance.
- Maintaining the boil: Maintain the boil for the specified time. The time depends on guidelines set by health bodies, but most countries around the world recommend around 1 minute of boiling time for it to be effective. It is recommended that water be boiled for at least 3 minutes at higher altitudes.
- Cooling down the water: Allow the water to cool in a covered container in order to prevent contamination. Once the water has cooled, another untreated water source should not be poured into it.
- Storage: Store the water in a suitable, treated, and cleaned container to keep it from becoming impure or contaminated.
We must also consider a good storage approach because once purified, the water must then be kept clean. We do not want it to become contaminated again during the storage phase.
Advantages of the Boiling Method for Water Purification
1. Simple and Affordable
This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of the boiling method since it does not require any technological expertise and practically needs a minimal amount of materials: a container for boiling and the energy source required for it.
Since there are no expensive mechanisms for filtration and purification unlike contemporary water purifiers, this method is one of the most inexpensive options.
2. Helps in Controlling Microorganisms
This method is incredibly helpful since it can reduce the risk of being harmed by numerous harmful microorganisms. This makes it one of the best methods possible in domestic settings and when the situation requires it.
3. Easy to Perform
No specialized knowledge or technical skill is required to boil water. Thus, it is very easy to carry out, and even younger people can do it with supervision once they are properly guided through the steps.
4. Useful During Emergencies
During emergencies such as natural disasters, where a proper plumbing system is not available or when the drinking water is questionable, this process is extremely useful.
5. Does Not Require an Electrically Powered Water Purification System
While one does require some form of energy source to heat the water, it is not dependent on any sophisticated electrically powered water purification system, which makes it useful for areas without power.
Disadvantages of Boiling Water for Drinking
1. Does Not Remove Dissolved Chemicals
Boiling water does not remove dissolved minerals, metals, and pesticides. There are instances when continuous boiling of water is done and these substances may actually become more concentrated.
2. Does Not Reduce TDS
TDS in water is represented by various total dissolved solids, which cannot be easily removed by simply boiling the water. For households where the TDS of water is exceptionally high, it must be ensured that other methods of water purification are employed that can properly reduce TDS.
3. Requires Energy
While energy might not be that big of a problem for individual houses, if you require that much drinking water daily, boiling can consume a lot of energy.
4. Does Not Remove Physical Impurities
Visible impurities such as sand and mud would not be removed by simply boiling the water. If the water looks dirty, then it must be filtered first using some fine cloth or filter paper.
5. Changes in Taste
Most people feel a significant difference in the taste of boiled water. It is also observed that some of the required minerals are removed from the water, which may affect the composition of drinking water. In some cases, the gases that make the water feel refreshing may also escape.
Boiling Water vs. Other Methods of Water Purification
While we are talking about methods of purification of water, this method is indeed one of the most traditional and easiest. Other popular methods like RO, UF, and UV filters perform certain jobs better than boiling.
RO filters remove dissolved chemicals and heavy metals to a greater extent, while UV kills microorganisms but does not remove total dissolved solids.
UF, like boiling, removes microorganisms from the water but does not remove total dissolved solids from the water.
Hence, when it comes to any impurity that is present within drinking water, you really must have a clear idea of the quality of the source water before going ahead with any particular method.
Is Boiling Enough for Drinking Water?
The method of boiling water can be very useful to make drinking water safer for humans, but it cannot be considered the ultimate method for all your water purification needs.
If your drinking water contains high TDS or has a high count of different pollutants, then a DrinkPrime purification system would be more suitable. You should first know your water source and the type of pollutants present before making the appropriate decision.
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Conclusion
Boiling remains an exceedingly useful and accessible choice as a disinfectant. It is also the simplest accessible method to kill microscopic living organisms in water. It is a viable option during crises when other advanced purification systems are unavailable.
However, its limitations include a lack of effectiveness in removing dissolved chemicals, salts, heavy metals, and physical contaminants.
Households with a combination of various impurities in their source water will benefit from a water purification system capable of total purification. Knowing what type of contaminants are in your water and what the characteristics of your source water are will ultimately help you make the best choice when deciding on a method of water purification.
