It is important to know how long to boil water to drink in order to ensure it is potable. Drinking potentially unsafe water can result in a variety of illnesses, so you need to know not only how long to boil it, but also how long is boiled water safe to drink before you need to boil it again.
There are various reasons why you might need to boil water. Your tap water might not be safe to use or even available after an emergency, such as a flood, hurricane or water main break. If you do not have bottled water on hand, you will need to know how long to boil water to drink.
How to Boil Water Step-by-Step
- If the water is cloudy, filter it through a coffee filter, paper towel or clean cloth.
- Put the water in a clean pot and bring to a boil.
- Use the table, below, to determine how long to boil the water.
- Boil it for that amount of time at a rolling boil.
- Leave it to cool down.
- Keep it in airtight, clean, sanitized containers.
How Long to Boil Water to Drink
The exact time you need to boil water depends on the elevation you are at. If in doubt, just boil the water for longer.
| Sea level | 1 minute |
| Above 3000 feet | 2-3 minutes |
| Above 6500 feet | 3 minutes |
What is a Rolling Boil?
There are two kinds of boils – a regular boil and a rolling boil. When boiling water to make it safe to drink, you need to have it at a rolling boil. The difference is as follows:
| Regular boil | Bigger bubbles than a simmer | 205 degrees F |
| Rolling boil | Fast moving, vigorous waves of bubbles | 212 degrees F |
Does Boiling Water Make it Safe to Drink?
Boiling water is an excellent way to kill germs and diseases, including parasites, bacteria and viruses. Bear in mind boiling will not remove contaminants such as salts, heavy metals and most other chemicals.
How Long is Boiled Water Safe to Drink?
When kept in clean, sealed bottles or containers, and stored somewhere dark and cool, the water should stay safe to drink for up to 6 months. If in doubt, you can always boil it again.
How to Improve the Boiled Water Taste
Boiled water might not have a nice flavor because some of the air in the water will evaporate, giving it a flat taste. There are two ways to remedy this:
- Pour it from one container to another container (this adds air back in) before letting it stand for several hours.
- Add a pinch of salt to each quart of water boiled.
In Conclusion
Knowing how long to boil water to drink is useful knowledge, as you will be able to purify it in an emergency.
Remember: how long it takes to boil water to drink depends on your location, as the boiling points differ among elevations.
