Lead
Does boiling water remove lead, PFAS or other chemicals?
No. Boiling kills germs, which is why it is used during a boil-water advisory, but it does not remove chemicals. EPA says boiling does not remove lead, the Minnesota Department of Health says it does not remove PFAS, and CDC says boiling will not remove chemicals from water.
What boiling is for
Boiling is a disinfection method for germs. A boil-water advisory is about germs. CDC’s advisory guidance describes boiling clear tap water to a rolling boil for one minute (three minutes at elevations above 6,500 feet). That instruction addresses microbes; it does not address chemicals.
What boiling does not do
- Chemicals in general. CDC’s page on chemicals in tap water says plainly: “Boiling will not remove chemicals from water.”
- Lead. EPA lists “boiling water does not remove lead from water” among its steps for reducing lead exposure.
- PFAS. The Minnesota Department of Health says “boiling water will not remove PFAS”.
What works instead
| Concern | What the agencies suggest |
|---|---|
| Lead | Remove the source if you can; use a filter certified to remove lead; use water from the cold tap for drinking and cooking (CDC, EPA) |
| PFAS | Use a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFAS reduction (CDC, EPA) |
| Nitrate | Ion exchange, distillation or reverse osmosis (CDC) |
| Arsenic | Reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, distillation or ion exchange (CDC) |
Distillation is also noted by EPA WaterSense as removing nitrates, bacteria and heavy metals and as usable during boil water advisories, but it is energy-intensive and can be costly.
During an advisory
Follow the instructions in the notice from your utility. If the notice says to boil, boiling is the right response to germs. If the problem is chemical contamination, the notice will tell you to use a different water source.
See lead in tap water and PFAS in tap water for steps that do work.
Sources
Not medical or legal advice. This guide summarizes public documents so you can ask better questions of your utility, your health department or a certified lab. For health concerns, talk to a clinician; for compliance questions, to your state drinking water program. Pages on this site that name products may earn a commission, as disclosed on the affiliate disclosure page.