Boiling Isn't Enough Anymore

Boiling water is one of the oldest water-treatment habits there is, and public health agencies still recommend it during boil-water advisories. It has a specific job: heat inactivates many microorganisms.

Boiling isn't designed to take dissolved or particulate substances out of water. Chemicals like PFAS, metals, and tiny plastic particles don't boil away. As water evaporates, whatever stays behind can end up more concentrated. That's why researchers and regulators are paying more attention to contaminants that older habits weren't built to address.

In our new short video, we explain the difference between killing germs and removing substances, and why the source of your water matters.

Want to know what's in your local water? Check your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report, and follow our news page for coverage of PFAS and microplastics research.

Always follow official boil-water advisories from your local utility or health department.