Does Boiling My Water Purify It?

Hydroviv's Science Team

Our tech support team gets a lot of questions from people looking to purify their water by boiling or freezing it. Doing a quick web search, we learned that there is A LOT of bad information out there on the topic.

Will Boiling Or Freezing My Water Remove Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, PFAS, & Chromium 6?

No! Unfortunately, freezing or boiling water to purify it does not remove chemicals like lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium 6, PFAS, or barium. The only way to remove these chemicals is by using a quality water filtration system. If you'd like to find water filters that remove harmful contaminants from tap water, check out this Duke University/NC State water filter study. We have our favorite NSF/ANSI certified custom water filter, but there are other effective systems out there as well!

What Does Boiling My Water Protect Against?

In the United States, we are very fortunate that modern disinfection practices have nearly eliminated widespread waterborne illness. However, sometimes unplanned things do happen (e.g. water main breaks) which opens up an opportunity for biological contamination. When this happens, municipalities may issue a boil order or notice, because boiling water kills potentially dangerous microorganisms.

In the event your water company issues a boil water advisory, the CDC provides specific advice on what you should do. Their guidance covers many different types of water uses, and specifically advises you to boil the water you use for drinking and preparing food. They also advise that you use bottled or boiled water for brushing your teeth, and when giving water to pets. 

What Does Freezing My Water Protect Against?

Freezing things slows down the growth of bacteria, and is the reason why frozen foods can be stored for long periods of time.

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