If you are concerned about the quality of your drinking water, you may be wondering if boiling water removes chlorine. You’re not the only one. In fact, I’m asked this question quite often.
Boiling can be used to remove chlorine from tap water, but boiling does not remove chloramine. Depending on the chlorine concentration, it requires 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous boiling to remove all of this disinfectant. Some small amount of chlorine may still remain after boiling.
Factors that affect how long you need to boil the water include the chlorine concentration, the pH of the water, and the size of the pot you use. Boiling will work in a pinch, but it’s not an effective or efficient way to remove chlorine from drinking water.
If you are concerned about the amount of chlorine in your tap water, there are other methods that are more effective than boiling. Continue reading to learn more about chlorine and how to remove it from your drinking water.
Table of Contents
Does Boiling Water Remove Chlorine
Boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes is one way to release all the chlorine from tap water.
Chlorine is present in your tap water as a dissolved gas. Raising the water temperature decreases its solubility. The hotter the water becomes, the more chlorine is emitted.
If you allow your water to sit out overnight, a lot of the chlorine will naturally off-gas on its own. Boiling the water just makes it evaporate more quickly.
How effective is boiling water for chlorine removal
When you boil water, the rising temperature causes dissolved gases, including chlorine, to escape into the air. This is why you see bubbles form on the side of a pot of water as you heat it up.
The effectiveness of boiling to remove chlorine depends on the surface area of the water. Boiling water in a wide pot is more effective than boiling it in a narrow column.
Boiling isn’t a practical option for large volumes of water.
Additionally, boiling does not effectively remove chloramine from drinking water. It would take 60 to 90 minutes of boiling to remove a measurable amount of chloramine.
Factors that affect how quickly and how well boiling removes chlorine are:
- the surface area of water exposed to the air
- pH of the water
- the chlorine concentration
How long should I boil the water
Chlorinated water should be boiled for a minimum of 15 minutes. The longer you boil the water, the more chlorine will be removed.
Theoretically, it takes 3.7 minutes to evaporate 1 milligram of chlorine in a 10-gallon batch of boiling water. The same concentration of chloramine will require more than 60 minutes.
If you know the concentration of chlorine in your water, you can determine how long it should be boiled. The number above is a “best case” scenario, and it will take longer to remove all of the chlorine. This is why I recommend boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes.
How should I boil the water
Boiling water is pretty simple, and you don’t need a recipe. But there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Make sure that the water you’re using is clean. If the water is cloudy, filter it through a towel to remove the turbidity.
- Use a pot with a large diameter. The more surface area of water exposed to the air, the faster the chlorine will evaporate.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil for at least 15 minutes. A rolling boil is when the water is boiling so vigorously that it’s bubbling and steaming.
- Leave the water uncovered to maximize the evaporation of chlorine.
- Allow the water to cool uncovered. This will allow any residual chlorine to off-gas.
- Store the water in a clean container with a tight-fitting lid.
Use your un-chlorinated water right away. Without the residual chlorine, it can become contaminated with bacteria and other microbes.
Does Boiling Water Remove Chloramine
Boiling water does not effectively remove chloramine from drinking water. Chloramine is a much more stable molecule than chlorine, and it takes 60 to 90 minutes of boiling to remove a measurable amount.
The best way to remove chloramine from your drinking water is to use a reverse osmosis filtration system.
Does Freezing Water Remove Chlorine
Freezing water does not remove chlorine or chloramine. In fact, reducing the temperature of water will inhibit the natural loss of chlorine that otherwise would occur.
If you want to remove chlorine from your water, and you don’t have a treatment system such as activated carbon or reverse osmosis, boiling is the most effective method.
Considerations with Boiling Water
Boiling water can be used to remove chlorine from your drinking water. However, it is important to consider the drawbacks and limitations of this method, such as:
- Difficult to tell how much chlorine has been removed
- Time consuming
- Doesn’t remove chloramine
- Wastes energy
While boiling is an effective way to treat your drinking water, there are other methods that may be more practical.
Read my article Brita Filter vs. Boiling Water: Which Is the Best Way to Purify Your Water?
How Do I Know if I Have Chlorine in My Water
After you boil your tap water, how much chlorine has been removed? And how do you know if there’s chlorine in your water to begin with?
If you’re on a municipal water system, you can also contact your local utility to find out if they regularly test for chlorine and what the levels are. This will tell you how much chlorine is in your water supply, but it won’t tell you how much is left after you boil it.
The only way to be certain of the chlorine concentration in your drinking water is to test it. A simple test kit can be purchased online or at a hardware store. You can also use a digital meter, which is more accurate.
What is Chlorine
Chlorine and chloramine are disinfectants commonly used to treat water-borne microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Chlorine is a gas at room temperature, but it easily dissolves in water. When dissolved, it forms hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is a very weak acid.
Chloramine is a compound formed when ammonia is added to chlorine. Municipal water suppliers prefer chloramine because it provides longer-lasting protection than chlorine alone.
Municipal water suppliers are now using chloramine even more than chlorine as a disinfectant chemical.
The use of chlorine and chloramine as disinfectants in drinking water is a common practice, but there is growing concern about the possible adverse effects of these chemicals. Many people are looking for ways to remove chlorine and chloramine from their tap water.
Why is chlorine in my water
The majority of US households (86%) drink water that contains chlorine or chloramines. These disinfectants are added to public water supplies to help control the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.
Water disinfection has been very effective in reducing waterborne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever. In fact, the addition of chlorine to public water supplies has been called one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
While the benefits of chlorinating drinking water are undeniable, there is growing concern about the possible adverse effects of these chemicals.
Health concerns over chlorine
Water is an important part of our lives, and chlorine is added to make sure that it’s healthy and safe to drink. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires municipal water treatment facilities to limit chlorine levels no more than 4 mg/L. This level of chlorine is considered safe for consumption.
In low doses, chlorine and chloramines are generally safe in drinking water. However, some people don’t like the taste or smell of chlorine in their water. There is also concern that chlorine can react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter to form harmful disinfection byproducts.
Examples of disinfection byproducts include Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). These byproducts can potentially pose health risks.
What Other Treatment Methods Can Remove Chlorine
Chlorine is a common contaminant in drinking water. There are several treatment methods that effectively remove chlorine from water.
Read my article on How to Remove Chlorine from Drinking Water.
Activated carbon filters remove chlorine
Chlorine can be removed from water by using activated carbon filters. Carbon adsorption is considered a bench-mark technology by the US EPA.
These filters use charcoal to bind with chlorine and other contaminants, purifying the water in the process. This is an effective way to remove chlorine from drinking water.
Activated carbon has thousands of pores within its matrix that to adsorb (hold via molecular forces) with chlorine and other contaminants. As water passes through the carbon media, chlorine adsorbs (binds) to the carbon surface and is removed from the water. This process purifies the water and removes the chlorine taste and odor.
Reverse osmosis removes chlorine
Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that uses pressure to force water through a semipermeable membrane. This process removes impurities, including chlorine, from water by pushing it through the RO membrane.
The RO membrane is made of thin sheets of material that have microscopic pores. These pores allow water molecules to pass through, but they are too small for most contaminants. As a result, the contaminants are left behind and removed from the water.
Reverse osmosis is a very effective way to remove chlorine from drinking water. In fact, RO systems can remove up to 99% of all impurities, including chlorine.
Distillation removes chlorine
Distillation is another water purification process that effectively removes chlorine from drinking water. This process works by heating water to its boiling point. The water vapor is then collected and condensed into a clean, pure distilled water product.
During the distillation process, impurities are left behind in the boiling chamber. This effectively removes them from the final distilled water product.
Distillation is a very effective way to remove chlorine from drinking water. In fact, it can remove up to 99% of chlorine and chloramine.
FAQs
Do refrigerator water filters remove chlorine?
Refrigerator filters use activated carbon and filtration to improve the taste and overall quality of water. They are effective at removing chlorine from water, but they do not remove chloramine.
Is chlorine in drinking water bad for me?
Chlorine is added as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and other contaminants, but some people believe that it can be harmful to our health. There are several treatment methods that can effectively remove chlorine from water, including activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems, and distillation.
What is the best way to remove chlorine from my water?
There are several ways to remove chlorine from water, including activated carbon filters and reverse osmosis systems. However, the most effective way to remove chlorine is through distillation.
Do Brita filters remove chlorine from drinking water?
Brita filters are designed to remove impurities from water, including chlorine. These filters use activated carbon to adsorb (bind) with chlorine and other contaminants, purifying the water in the process. Brita filters remove chlorine from water.
Do PUR filters remove chlorine?
PUR filters are designed to remove chlorine from tap water, effectively reducing the taste and odor of chlorine in drinking water. PUR filters use activated carbon to capture chlorine molecules and other harmful compounds and minerals from water, providing clean and fresh-tasting water for your home. Regularly replacing the filters is essential to ensure the continued removal of chlorine and other contaminants from your water. Read my comprehensive article about the topic do pitcher filters remove chlorine.
Final Take
Boiling water can be used to remove chlorine from tap water. However, it is not the most effective method. For the best results, use a water purification system that includes activated carbon filters or reverse osmosis. Brita filters can also remove chlorine from drinking water.