There is a lot of decision-making that can go into one of the most fundamental building blocks for all life as we know it. For something as seemingly simple as water, just like the contaminants lurking below the surface, much more goes into water quality than meets the eye.
Most of the time, especially in industrialized parts of the world where local governments quietly do the unsung heroics of keeping our drinking water free of pollutants and other dangerous elements. As a result, we tend to take access to potable water for granted. However, as soon as disaster strikes or we find ourselves out in areas where safer drinking water is harder to come by, we start to realize just how consequential our efforts are in keeping us safe and healthy when it comes to the stuff we just can’t live without.
Whether you are planning to travel to or camp where potable water is less conveniently accessible, you are smartly planning for disaster, you are sensitive to certain chemicals, or you’d simply rather be safe rather than sorry, you are likely weighing your options: when it comes to boiling water vs. filtered water, which is safer?
The Short Answer: Filtered Water Is Safer
If you can only choose to do one thing for your water treatment, hands down, filtered water is not the same as boiling water, filtration far exceeds whatever bringing water to a boil can do.
The reasons for this are fairly simple: while boiling water can kill off dangerous bacteria and it is always advisable to boil water whenever you are in doubt about its safety, boiling alone simply does not mitigate all of the risks. High quality water filtration systems not only “screen” out germs, protozoa, and other deadly microorganisms, but they can also help with other contaminants where boiling would have no effect: think, for example, if you are concerned about giving water to your family that is tainted with gasoline, lead, melted plastics, or anything else that is toxic or even deadly. Filtered water wins versus boiling water, hands down.
When Is Boiling Water The Same As Filtered Water?
Well, certainly, boiling your filtered water is one way to assure it is exactly the same – minus, of course, that it is hotter!
More seriously, people do notice the difference in flavor when they try boiled water versus filtered water from the same source. After all, filtered water does just that: it filters out anything that isn’t your friend, the H2O molecule. In other words, if you are out in nature and you are filling a bottle from a river or lake, boiling will kill nearly all germs, but it will not remove anything else, be it mud, sediment, algae, or more welcome ingredients like minerals and other basic, life-sustaining elements like calcium. While losing out on the pebbles and anything that answers the call of nature in your water is a welcome benefit, it is true that many people do love the taste of mineral water, as well as appreciate it for its medicinal qualities when soaking and bathing.
The Taste Test: Minerals In Your Filtered Water
When it comes to mineral water, boiling water is not the same as filtered water. Boiling water versus filtering water does have an advantage, as this process keeps the integrity of that “hard” flavor that some people enjoy, and that has its health benefits – including that enjoying the taste of your water leads to you drinking more of it! Because mineral water can be an excellent source of much-needed nutrients that can aid in bone health, dental health, and overall skin and hair quality, among other things, look for water filters that help screen out the “bad stuff” like contaminants and toxins, while leaving room for the rest.
People from countries rich in mineral water, such as Iceland and Japan, swear by the benefits of mineral water; if you are lucky to be in an area with high-quality mineral water, speak with us to find the best filtration fit for your needs.
Hydrovos: Clean Water For You
Boiling water is not the same as filtered water. At Hydrovos, we focus our efforts on water filtration systems for a variety of uses because we care about helping more people the world over get access to more reliably safe drinking water. Ensuring that you always have access to filtered water, versus simply boiling water and hoping for the best, is a sound investment, especially in uncertain times where natural disasters are becoming even more prevalent.
Moreover, when it comes to adding a water filtration system to your home, this installation is literally an investment in not only your well-being, but also in your home’s property values. Shop our options, and learn about our systems and what works best for your lifestyle and budget, and get ready to raise a glass to your health and safety!