Is Boiling Water Enough to Purify It?

Are you in need of a water purification system that will give you safe, clean water for consumption? Call Gladiator Services today at 201-512-8972 for advice, recommendations, and installation. 

When you find contaminants in your water, you’ll naturally start to look at ways you can make it safer and healthier. One widely accepted method of removing contaminants from water is to boil it. But is boiling water enough to purify it completely?

As plumbing experts in Hillsdale, NJ, that are highly experienced in water filtration systems, this is one of the questions we get regularly from homeowners and businesses. This article will cover everything you need to know about boiling water as a method of purification.

What Is Purified Water?

Purified water is basically water that is free from all impurities. The goal of any water purification process is to remove chemicals, bacteria, toxins, and pathogens. Homeowners and businesses use different purification approaches to remove impurities from ground and tap water.

Boiling Water as a Method of Purification

Boiling water is one of the oldest methods of purification. It’s a widely practiced method of household water purification around the world, as boiling water can indeed reduce your chances of getting sick from the water.



Bacteria and parasites can’t withstand the heat at boiling temperatures. Therefore, boiling is usually an effective way to eliminate them from your water.

So, is boiling water enough to make it pure, or are other methods of purification better?

Unfortunately, boiling water is not enough to make it pure, nor can it improve the water quality. It will only deactivate contaminants that can’t survive high temperatures.

This means boiling can’t give safe drinking water because other contaminants like insecticides, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other organic and inorganic contaminants (like dust and sand) will remain in the water. In fact, the chemical reactions from boiling some contaminants can make the water even more harmful.

Other Reasons Why Boiling Isn’t an Effective Method of Water Purification

Even when you want to only eliminate bacteria and viruses in your water, you have to boil it for one to three minutes, according to the CDC. Unfortunately, some people turn off the stove almost as soon as boiling begins.

Secondly, you’ll need to give the boiled water time to cool down before you can put it into bottles for consumption. The entire process of waiting for the water to cool down and handling it can lead to the reintroduction of harmful contaminants.

Bacteria breed incredibly fast, especially in warmer temperatures. So, it only takes a dirty finger to undo any work boiling has already done to reduce organic contaminants.

Better Ways to Purify Your Water

If you are looking for ways to purify your water, it’s clear that you can’t depend on boiling it alone. Therefore, you’ll have to explore other options. Depending on the type of contaminants you’re trying to eliminate, you may have to combine multiple options.

Ultra Filtration 

This method of water purification combines the use of pressure and a semipermeable membrane to remove suspended solids and any organic or inorganic compounds that have a high molecular weight from your water.

The process doesn’t use any chemicals, but it is highly effective and excels at complete pathogen removal. However, it doesn’t remove all contaminants, so it’s best to combine it with other methods of purification.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis purification systems force water through a semi-permeable membrane to filter out all unwanted contaminants, dissolved solids, and sediments. Reverse osmosis systems feature special osmosis membranes specifically designed for the job and an activated carbon or sediment filter. The result is high-quality water that is completely free from contaminants, odors, and unpleasant tastes. Therefore, this method is usually the right choice for water well systems or severely compromised tap water.

Ultraviolet Filters

Ultraviolet filtration systems are effective at removing all microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, from your water. These systems can stop the reproduction of these microorganisms and eliminate up to 99.9% of the already existing ones without the use of any chemicals. However, ultraviolet filters have the same demerits as boiling water: they will not remove any physical or chemical contaminants.

UV purification systems come in different sizes and forms, so you can find the right one for your home or business. For the best results, it’s best to combine them with reverse osmosis purification systems.

Micro Filtration Systems

Microfiltration systems filter your water with pore-sized membranes, with sizes ranging between 0.05 and 10μm.

With the combination of the membrane and adequate operating pressure, microfiltration systems can remove all microorganisms and suspended particles that are bad for human health.

Ionizer Systems

These systems raise the pH of the water to alkaline levels to remove contaminants like pharmaceuticals, chloramine, chlorine, and other heavy metals. Ionizers can also remove tough contaminants like arsenic and chromium VI.

Some people believe that alkaline water is great for beefing up the immune system and slowing down aging, but there’s no proven research into those claims yet. If you want to use these systems, it should only be to tackle contaminants.

Should You Keep Boiling Water to Eliminate Microorganisms?

Since we’ve established that boiling water will only eliminate microorganisms, it may sound like a good idea to boil your water and then use any other effective method of purification to eliminate non-microbial contaminants.

However, that’s not a cost-effective solution. Think of what it would take to boil and then filter all the water you need for drinking, cooking, washing, and more. Apart from the time commitment required for the task, it’s a sure way to increase your utility bills. Therefore, it’s best to settle for a more practical, cost-effective option. 

Find the Perfect Water Purification System for Your Property Today

Is boiling water enough to purify it? No. But deciding on the best methods to remove impurities from water in your home or business requires water analysis and testing to determine the type of contaminants you’re dealing with. That’s where we can help!

Call Gladiator Services today at 201-512-8972 to find the perfect system for your Hillsdale, NJ, property.