Does Boiling Always Make Water Safe To Drink?

Can boiling always be relied upon to make water safe to drink? In this video I run through the considerations for dealing with pathogenic organisms and other water pollutants. In this context I look at the effectiveness and reliability of boiling in producing potable water in back country and wilderness areas. This video will be of value to hikers, campers, back country and wilderness travellers and anyone visiting areas where the water may be contaminated (pretty much everywhere there are people) or the cleanliness of the water may be uncertain.

This video forms part of a series of 20 FREE videos I've made to help people with wilderness bushcraft, survival skills and general outdoor life.

[chuklhed]

We boil our tap water for 15 minutes and then store it in glass. And of course we pray over it and give it thanks.

[christopherbennett]

I just want to say thank you for all the helpful information. My grandparents lived to be 90 years old. They drink out of creeks and other not so clean water sources.. i know times are different with pollution and all but people make this to complicatied . Boil the water.. If you can't have a fire use other means like life straw etc.. Thanks for sharing..God bless.

[mzmPACman]

Hi Paul,

Fan of yours from the states. Great video, the only thing I would add is that ALL enteric pathogens are killed by the time water has reached a rolling boil, and many of them die en route to boil. Certainly couldn't hurt to boil for a minute or two, but for most backcountry outings in the US and UK it isn't necessary. I'm a medical provider here and actually had to consult my wilderness medicine text when a patient asked me this!

[AustraliaNaDziko]

Very good informative video, You gave me enough confidence to drink tropical Queensland swamp water forafter prelonged boiling. I filtered it through primitive charcoal filter as it wasn't clear, water colour was still tea like even after boiling (due to tea trees in the swamp). The taste was a bit bitter but I did not get sick at all and If it was a survival situation I'd be happy to drink litres of this water. Thank to the video

[gravedigger]

I've got a rain barrel and this helps.

[TwoPlusTwoEqualsFive]

Milbank bags and other filtering devices are great for removing dirt, leaves, bugs or other tiny turbidity and then boil. You can get sick even if you boil if there is alot of dirt or debri as the bacteria can hide inside the particles that insulates them from the heat.
Turbidity can also cause gut irritation leading to diarrhea which can be dangerous in a survival situation.

[mikedeman]

Another informative video Paul, thanks. Since boiling doesn't remove or negate chemical contamination in water (such as fertiliser or pesticides in run-off from farmland making its way into rivers and streams), may I ask you this question; when you are 'out and about' in the UK, is this a worry for you and if so, what do you personally do to deal with the possibility of chemical contamination in water from 'natural' sources? Thanks in advance.

[walkaboutphilpots]

As long as there are no pesticides i filter with the sawyer mini then boil well. If i am really in doubt i drop some tabs in. Good video.

[dominatoralexander]

This video was very helpful. Thank you for the content. I have always wanted to be sure the water is safe for drinking, but now with your video I can definitely know when it is safe.

[maryz.r.avecilla]

Thank you Paul Kirtley for all the educational information.

[coolwhip]

Good clear advice thanks.
But does this work for pesticides that get into the streams from farmers fields?

[ronaldloyd]

thank you for spending time for huma nsi

[PaulKirtley]

Indeed, as mentioned in the main water articles on my blog.

[ClintonsK]

Paul, good comprehensive advice!
Thanks

[sammykhalil]

Hi Paul, very good video.
I have a question will boiling the water for longer than a minute affect anything?

[iamchannelll]

Does that also include sodium flouride ? Or would I need a reverse osmosis filteration system

[TranceHeed]

If it’s higher up it can be clean enough to drink fresh though? In the Scottish mountains for example?

[petercooper]

Thank You for your outstanding advice and clear explanation!

[denofearthundertheeverlast]

I have stainless steel pots such as the Zebra bush pot like yours, I hear some say that boiling your water in the same pots you cook food in will leave a food taste in your water, is this true and how much of a problem is it? or is it more likely with aluminum cookware?

[RedcoatsReturn]

To all those concerned about chemicals in the water:
You could distill it, this would make sure the chemicals are either in the residue or broken down by hydrolysis. Of course if you chose to camp next to the effluent pipe of a chemical factory you may want to check if they produce any volatile chemicals, they could end up in your distillate. So you should throw away the first 20% of the distilled water to be sure. Then effectively, your distillate remaining is as good as rain water.
I suggest to camp next to a brewery effluent pipe, chances are you get a few % alcohol in your water which helps keep it sterile and will allow you to chill out and stop asking such questions. Next time, we’ll discuss what to do when you chose to camp in Tchernobyl😉