Boil or Filter Water First? I May Have Been Wrong All Along…

When treating collected water for human consumption, I’ve long stated that you should definitely do more than just boil OR filter the water alone. Even though I very much believe in the effectiveness of the Berkey water filter system (and their black Berkey filters, in particular), you really don’t want to mess around with all the nasty stuff that can be lurking in water, even if you’ve collected it yourself. It can all make you very sick, possibly even kill you!

Thus, I’ve always recommended that you filter collected water first, then boil it … or chemically treat it afterwards, if you must. But then I got to wondering: maybe I should be boiling it first? After all, having bacteria, algae, and maybe even viruses infesting my Berkey filters after continued contamination can’t be a good thing. I can see them becoming a breeding ground. Yikes!

So, I decided to ask our all-knowing AI overlords: “When treating collected water for drinking, should I boil or filter it first? Or does it matter?” Here’s what ChatGPT said:

When treating collected water for drinking, it’s important to both filter and boil it, but the order can make a difference.

1. Filter First:

• Filtering the water removes debris, dirt, and larger particles, making the water clearer. This also helps extend the life of your water treatment systems (like boiling or chemical treatment) since there are fewer contaminants to deal with.
• If you boil the water first and it’s full of debris, boiling won’t remove the particles. The water might still look dirty even though the pathogens are gone.

1. Boil After Filtering:

• Boiling the filtered water will kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are still in the water. Bringing the water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute (or 3 minutes at higher altitudes) is effective for sterilizing it.

Key Takeaway: Filter first to remove physical impurities, then boil to kill harmful organisms. Both steps together ensure the water is as safe as possible to drink.

That explanation makes sense to me. But I figured I should ask about degrading the filters: “But doesn’t filtering water first degrade the filter elements faster?” ChatGPT replied:

Yes, you’re right! Filtering water first, especially if it’s very dirty or full of debris, can wear out the filter elements faster. That’s why it’s often recommended to pre-filter the water before running it through your main filter.

Here’s how you can approach it:

1. Pre-filter the water:

• Use a bandana, cloth, or even a coffee filter to remove large particles, dirt, and debris. This step reduces the strain on your actual water filter, preserving its longevity.

1. Filter the water:

• Now, use your proper water filter (like a pump filter, gravity filter, or straw-type filter) to remove smaller particles, protozoa, and bacteria.

1. Boil the water after filtering:

• Once filtered, boiling ensures that any remaining pathogens like viruses (which many filters don’t catch) are killed off.

By pre-filtering first, you prevent clogging or wearing down your main filter too quickly while ensuring that the water is safe for drinking after boiling. It’s a balance between protecting your filter and making sure the water is clean enough before treating it further.

Okay. Pre-filtering is clearly a good idea, and I recommend you do so, but it’s not quite what I was getting at. So, I asked: “Pre-filtering is good, too. But what I’m asking about is whether filtering dirty water first will create a breeding ground for bacteria, algae, and viruses. Would boiling the water first not reduce this possibility?” ChatGPT said:

Good point! Filtering dirty water first can, in fact, introduce some concerns if the filter elements aren’t properly cleaned or maintained. Here’s why:

Potential Issues with Filtering Dirty Water First:

• Bacteria and Algae Growth: If you run dirty water through a filter and then store it without proper cleaning or drying, the filter can trap organic material that may promote the growth of bacteria, algae, or even mold. These can thrive in damp environments, especially if the filter is used in warm conditions or not allowed to dry out completely between uses.
• Viruses and Small Pathogens: Some water filters, especially portable ones, don’t effectively remove viruses, as they’re too small for many filter types. If dirty water sits in the filter, there’s a risk that the virus-laden water remains in the filter, leading to cross-contamination later.

Boiling First:

Boiling water before filtering eliminates all bacteria, viruses, and parasites, so what you’re filtering after boiling is sterile water. This could prevent the filter from becoming a breeding ground for pathogens because the water no longer contains anything living.

However, boiling dirty water first still leaves behind debris and particulates, which might clog your filter and reduce its effectiveness over time. Boiling doesn’t remove physical contaminants; it just sterilizes the water.

Best Approach for Longevity and Safety:

1. Pre-filter first: As mentioned earlier, use a simple pre-filter (like a cloth) to remove large debris.
2. Boil next: Boil the water to kill all microorganisms. This sterilized water won’t contaminate your filter with bacteria or viruses.
3. Filter after boiling: If you still want the water to be clear or need to remove smaller particles, filter it after boiling. This also keeps your filter from being exposed to raw, untreated water, reducing the chance of biological buildup inside the filter.

In short, boiling first can reduce the risk of your filter becoming a breeding ground for bacteria or viruses, but it’s less efficient if the water is dirty. The combination of pre-filtering, boiling, and filtering is the most thorough way to ensure safe drinking water and a long-lasting filter.

If you’ve been following along, I just got ChatGPT to change its mind, lol. Worse, I might have just changed my mind, too. 🙂

But I wanted to ask one more follow-up: “What if I boil water first to sterilize it, filter it to remove particulates, then boil or chemically treat the water just to be sure? Or is this overkill?” ChatGPT responded:

Boiling water first, filtering it, and then boiling or chemically treating it again would be very thorough, but it’s likely overkill in most situations. Here’s why:

Breakdown of Each Step:

1. Boiling First to Sterilize:

• Boiling the water for 1-3 minutes (depending on your altitude) will kill all harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. After boiling, the water is considered microbiologically safe to drink.
• However, boiling doesn’t remove debris, so while the water is safe, it might still contain particulates or look dirty.

1. Filtering After Boiling:

• Filtering the boiled water will remove sediment, debris, and other particles, improving its appearance and taste.
• Since the water is already sterilized, this step is mainly for clarity, and it won’t harm your filter since the pathogens have already been killed.

1. Boiling or Chemically Treating Again:

• If you’ve already boiled the water and filtered it, boiling it again is redundant. The first boil already killed everything harmful, and the filter removed the particulates.
• Chemically treating it after boiling is also unnecessary. Chemicals like chlorine or iodine are meant to kill microorganisms, which you’ve already done through boiling.

When This Might Be Useful:

• Extreme conditions: If you’re in a situation where the water source is highly contaminated (sewage runoff, industrial pollution, etc.), or you don’t fully trust your filtration system, a double layer of treatment (like boiling and chemical treatment) might give extra peace of mind.
• Old or unreliable filters: If your filter is worn out or you’re unsure of its effectiveness, additional chemical treatment might be a safeguard.
• Compromised immune system: In cases where someone’s immune system is compromised (elderly, very young children, or those with certain health conditions), extra caution with water treatment can be wise.

Conclusion:

• Boiling ? Filtering is typically enough in most situations to ensure water is safe and clear.
• Adding another boil or chemical treatment after this process is generally overkill unless you’re dealing with extreme contamination or compromised equipment.

For regular survival or outdoor situations, this double-boiling approach isn’t necessary, but it doesn’t hurt if you want to be absolutely sure.

I couldn’t help but laugh at two of the points ChatGPT made in this latest exchange.

First, it talks about extreme conditions: “If you’re in a situation where the water source is highly contaminated (sewage runoff, industrial pollution, etc.)…”

If you’re thinking about treating sewage runoff or water that’s been polluted with industrial runoff, please don’t! That’s a recipe for disaster no matter how much treatment you, as a layman, give it.

Second, it talks about, “For regular survival or outdoor situations, this double-boiling approach isn’t necessary…”

I couldn’t help but laugh again. What’s a “regular survival” situation? Is that one where you’re not trying to treat sewage runoff?

Anyway, I think it’s prudent to consider just what you’ll do. While you’re probably okay with doing either–boiling or filtering first for short-term emergencies–if you want to be safest over the long haul, then pre-filter and boil first, followed by filtering through a quality water filter, like the Berkey, might be the best approach, which is the opposite of what I used to recommend.

I guess we all get to learn something new every now and again, don’t we?