Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Factsheet: Source ...
Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Factsheet: Source ...
Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Factsheet: Source ...
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<strong>Household</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Treatment</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Safe</strong> <strong>Storage</strong><br />
Fact Sheet: Boiling<br />
The <strong>Treatment</strong> Process<br />
Potential <strong>Treatment</strong> Capacity<br />
Very Effective For: Somewhat Effective For: Not Effective For:<br />
Bacteria<br />
Viruses<br />
Protozoa<br />
Helminths<br />
Turbidity<br />
Chemicals<br />
Taste, odour, colour<br />
What is Boiling?<br />
Boiling is considered the world’s oldest,<br />
most common, <strong>and</strong> one of the most effective<br />
methods for treating water. If done properly,<br />
boiling kills or deactivates all bacteria,<br />
viruses, protozoa (including cysts) <strong>and</strong><br />
helminths that cause diarrheal disease.<br />
How Does It Remove Contamination?<br />
Pathogens are killed when the temperature<br />
reaches 100 degrees Celsius.<br />
Operation<br />
<strong>Water</strong> is heated over a fire or stove until it<br />
boils. Different fuel sources can be used<br />
depending on local availability <strong>and</strong> cost (e.g.<br />
wood, charcoal, biomass, biogas, kerosene,<br />
propane, solar panels, electricity).<br />
<strong>Water</strong> bubbling as it boils provides a visual<br />
indicator does away with the need for a<br />
thermometer.<br />
Recommended boiling times varies among<br />
organizations. The World Health<br />
Organization recommends that water be<br />
heated until it reaches the boiling point<br />
(WHO, nd). The Centers for Disease<br />
Control <strong>and</strong> Prevention, recommends a<br />
rolling boil of 1 minute, to ensure that users<br />
do not stop heating the water before the true<br />
boiling point is reached (CDC, 2009).<br />
CAWST recommends boiling water for 1<br />
minute <strong>and</strong> adding 1 minute per 1000<br />
metres of elevation.<br />
Recontamination of boiled water is a major<br />
problem. <strong>Water</strong> is often transferred from the<br />
pot into dirty storage containers which then<br />
make it unsafe to drink. It is recommended<br />
to store boiled water in its pot with a lid to<br />
reduce the risk of recontamination.<br />
Boiled tastes flat to some people. This is<br />
caused by dissolved oxygen escaping from<br />
the water as it boils. The flat taste can be<br />
reduced by vigorously stirring or shaking<br />
cooled water to increase its dissolved<br />
oxygen content.<br />
Boiling water (Credit: Phitar, 2005)