Marion Carter
Well-known member
How long do you need to boil water you gathered in order to kill off bacteria and other unwanteds?
If you want actual time/temp, its actually based on altitude.
The general rule as was stated earlier, 15 mins
Water temperatures above 160 degrees Fahrenheit kill virtually all pathogens within 30 minutes.
At 185 degrees Fahrenheit, they’re dead in just a few minutes
Approximate water boiling temp at altitude
200 degrees F @6300 feet
195 degrees F @9,000 feet
190 degrees F @12,000 feet
Even at 12000 foot its hot enough to kill everything in a few minutes.
Personally, I use water filters. My main is solid block carbon and if I need more I have a ceramic that pulls most chemicals. I even filter the tap water here.
Had no idea altitude made a difference. Great post!