When it comes to purifying your water, there are a few different methods you can use. Some people prefer to use a Brita filter, while others opt for boiling their water. So, which is the best way to purify your water? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each method.
Boiling water and Brita filters both remove chlorine. But that’s where the similarities end. Boiling water removes harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and some VOCs. Brita filters do not remove bacteria, viruses, and parasites, but they remove some heavy metals and trace amounts of VOCs. Brita filters also remove chlorine and other compounds that can affect the taste and smell of your water.
This article will provide a comprehensive look at boiling water versus using a Brita filter. I present the pros and cons of each purification method to help you decide which is better for your need. Continue reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
Brita Filtered Water
If you have ever used a Brita filter, you will likely notice significant improvement in taste for tap water. Here is a comprehensive guide on Brita filters: what they do, and which impurities they remove from water.
All of the Brita filters remove chlorine, which improves the taste and smell of tap water. But a standard Brita filter also removes mercury, cadmium, copper, and zinc. Brita filters do not remove viruses, parasites, or bacteria. However, these harmful pathogens are not typically present in tap water.
There are a range of different water filters that Brita sells, but as a general rule, they all improve the taste and odor of tap water.
Some Brita filters remove many additional chemicals from tap water, such as lead and zinc, whereas others only remove chlorine. To see what each type of Brita filter removes from the tap water, refer to this page on the official Brita website.
A Brita filter can improve your water quality, but it also has a few disadvantages.
Pros of Brita filtered water
The main advantage of using Brita-filtered water is its ability to improve the odor and taste of tap water. Brita filters remove the chemical taste caused by chlorine. It also removes the musty or metallic taste that some water has.
Brita filters also remove heavy metals and other trace contaminants from tap water. This can be beneficial for people who are concerned about their exposure to these contaminants in drinking water.
Check the filter to see what contaminants the specific Brita filter you have can remove. Read my article about what Brita filters remove.
Cons of Brita filtered water
A minor drawback of a Brita water filter is you need to swap out the filter after a certain amount of time. It’s also true that a Brita filter will not remove viruses, parasites, and bacteria that can make you sick. Boiling water will remove these harmful microorganisms.
However, the US EPA and the World Health Organization both set water quality standards for municipal water supplies. They establish the maximum levels of contaminants such as lead, copper, and zinc for public water supplies.
These regulations ensure that municipal water supplies do not contain harmful levels of lead, bacteria, and other contaminants. The only time you need to worry about what’s in your water is if it comes from an uncertain source, like a well or river.
Boiled Water
Boiling water is fairly easy to do and takes hardly any time. If you’re unsure about the quality of your water, boiling it is a common way to make it safe to drink. So, here are the pros and cons of boiling water.
Overall, boiling water removes harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chlorine. Although boiling water does kill bacteria, it has very little influence on the taste or odor of your water. The most significant benefit is that water, which usually would make a person ill if ingested, is less likely to do so if it has been boiled.
You may have heard of ‘boil water notices.’ Public water utilities send out these alerts when the water is contaminated with harmful bacteria, like E. coli.
A typical boil water notice warns you to boil any water before drinking it and not to get water from the bath or shower in your eye, ears, or mouth.
Pros of boiling water
Interestingly, boiling water for 15 minutes removes all of the chlorine. This will improve the water’s quality by eliminating the swimming pool taste and smell. But the main benefit is that it kills virtually all harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Boiling water kills all harmful microorganisms.
Various studies, such as this one published in the Journal of Water Health, have also found that boiling water is very effective at improving water safety.
Cons of boiling water
The primary downside to boiling water instead of using a Brita is that filters remove chemicals and other impurities. Filtration removes the metallic and other unappealing tastes that many people dislike. Brita filters also improve the smell of water, whereas boiling does not.
While tap water is generally safe to drink, many people prefer filtered water from a Brita or similar product. The difference in taste can be quite noticeable. Boiling water, however, does very little to improve the taste or overall aesthetics of the water.
Does Brita Filtered Water Need to Be Boiled
Using a Brita filter is not very common, therefore, it’s not common knowledge how to use a Brita filter. Boiling water has benefits, but this is whether water put into a Brita filter or water collected after it has been through a Brita filter also needs to be filtered.
As a general rule, you do not need to boil your drinking water if you use a Brita filter – as long as the water does not contain bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The only reason it would need to be boiled is if there is a boil water notice. Municipal tap water does not normally contain harmful pathogens, so your Brita filtered water is OK to use without boiling it.
There are rare exceptions where a municipal water supply will have a boil water notice. In that case, the water should be boiled to ensure it is safe to drink.
If your water comes from an untreated source like a rainwater tank or well and you’re worried about microorganisms, then boil or disinfect it.
Which Is Better – Brita Filtered or Boiled Water?
Anyone who tries a Brita filter will notice that water tastes much better. But boiling water is a common practice when water is unsafe to drink. So, here’s a rundown of which is better to use for drinking water – a Brita filter or boiled water.
Overall, a Brita filter is better than boiled water. The reason is boiling water does not improve the taste of water. Instead, it only kills harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. However, most drinking water does not contain microorganisms and so boiling is not necessary.
A Brita filter is better for most people. The reason?
Well, the tap water in most cities isn’t dangerous to drink untreated and boiling it is not necessary.
Brita filters really improve the quality of your water by removing taste and odor compounds. If your tap water has a lot of chlorine, the improvement can be dramatic.
The benefits of boiling water are mostly limited to those who get their water from sources that might be infected with germs. This includes rainwater, cisterns, and wells. For those people, boiling water is the best way to ensure it’s safe to drink.
Final Take
At the end of the day, both Brita filters and boiling can produce excellent drinking water. But for most people, a Brita filter is a better choice. Not only does it improve taste, but it’s also much faster and easier than boiling.