If you are concerned about the water that you are drinking, and which methods may be safer than others, then you’ve come to the right place.
We are going to be looking at the difference between boiled and reverse osmosis water so you can find out which one is the safer alternative.
There are many different water purification methods that you can use to ensure that you are drinking safe water that isn’t full of contaminants, but there are always going to be some methods that are better than others.
There are so many available that it is often difficult to make a decision between them.
To help you decide which is better, boiled water or RO water, we are going to look at boiled water and reverse osmosis water in-depth and explain the differences here for you. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of which type of water is the best.
Boiled Water
One of the most traditional methods of purifying water is by boiling it. without modern technology and equipment to help us to purify water, this is the method that people have used for a very long time.
The majority of people will trust boiled water as the process of boiling the water will kill almost all of the bacteria that is present.
However, this doesn’t mean that the water that you are left with is 100% pure. Boiled water will not get rid of any chemical pollutants that may be lurking in the water, like chlorine, and it also will not get rid of any unpleasant smells.
You also won’t be able to use boiled water straight away, as you need to leave it to cool.
What Gets Removed When You Boil Water?
When you boil water, you will be able to remove any microorganisms that are unable to withstand high temperatures.
However, the boiling process will not remove dissolved solids or any other chemicals or impurities.
Is Boiling of Water Enough to Purify it?
When you heat drinking water, it will start to bubble as it gets warmer, which will indicate that it has reached its boiling point. A disinfection process will begin, but for this to be completed, you will need to continually boil the water for at least 20 minutes.
You will need to set aside time for the water to cool down before you can even think about drinking it, and during this time, it is possible for the water to become recontaminated. The chances of recontamination are even higher if your hands or utensils are not clean.
What are the Disadvantages of Boiling Water?
When you boil water, you will not be able to eliminate toxic metals, chemicals, or nitrates that are present in the water. Boiling the water can even concentrate harmful contaminants that will not vaporize.
Another downside of boiling water is that it requires a high amount of energy, which you might not always have available to you.
Reverse Osmosis Purification
The reverse osmosis method of purification works very efficiently, and it is able to remove up to an impressive 99% of all contaminants and impurities that are present in the water. Some of these things can include dissolved solids, chemicals, bacteria, and viruses in drinking water.
This method features the use of anti-microbial filters that are used to remove any unpleasant odors, colors, and tastes from the water, leaving you with excellent quality water. The process of purification uses a semi-permeable membrane, which the water will pass through.
The membrane will work to block out all of the impurities in the water and it only allows purified water to pass through it. This method of filtration will remove almost all of the contaminants in the water.
One of the biggest advantages of reverse osmosis is that it can eliminate harmful pathogens and bacteria from the water that would otherwise make it unsafe to drink.
Boiled Water vs RO Purified Water
So which is better — boiled water or RO water?
The biggest downside of boiling water is that you will only be able to remove things like bacteria, but not toxic wastes and chemicals. However, on the other hand, reverse osmosis purification can work to remove all of the metal and chemical waste that is present in the water.
Boiled water can actually concentrate some of the toxic wastes that are not vaporized throughout the boiling process, but reverse osmosis will be able to remove all of the toxic metal wastes that are present.
Boiling water can also reduce the overall quality of the water as some of the water itself can be lost as vapor, whereas, reverse osmosis will not negatively impact the quality of the water.
RO systems require maintenance over a period of time which the manufacturer recommends. The membrane should be replaced after a period of time. Since boiling does not make use of any extra equipment it does not require maintenance.
However, you should know that some types of pesticides and organic wastes cannot be removed through reverse osmosis purification, and it can only work when the water has pressure, which can sometimes fail.
Both of these methods of purification will purify the water but to different extents. Reverse osmosis is the clear winner as it is an advanced process that will work to remove almost all impurities and contaminants that were previously present in the water. This will make it much safer for consumption than the boiled water alternative.
Boiled water cannot compete with the level of quality the reverse osmosis can provide, as it only kills microorganisms, but it cannot remove anything from the water. Therefore, boiled water is not as safe to drink.
Investing in a water purifier is one of the most cost-effective solutions from a long-term standpoint. It is also a healthier alternative that ensures you are drinking water that is safe for consumption. While you cannot guarantee that it is 100% safe, you can guarantee that it is much safer than drinking boiled water as it can remove up to 99% of contaminants.