Safe Water
Boiling
The gold-standard field treatment for pathogens when you can bring water to a rolling boil—ancient practice wherever fire and a vessel exist.
At a glance
Energy investmentMedium energyFuel is the cost. In wet biomes, gathering dry fuel may exceed the boil itself.
ReliabilityHigh reliability
Time15–40 minutes including fire and cool-down
Materials
- Fire and fuel
- Heat-safe vessel (metal, ceramic, rock-boiling in a pit with hot stones)
- Settled or pre-filtered water
Steps
- 1Pre-filter cloudy water through cloth.
- 2Bring to a rolling boil; maintain according to local guidance (typically one minute at moderate altitude; longer at high altitude).
- 3Cool covered; store sealed.
- Vessel cracks or spills—lose both water and fuel
- Assuming boil removes chemical pollution
- Recontaminating with dirty lids or hands
Region fit
Best in: Temperate forest, Tropical jungle, Mountains, Snow & ice, Coast & swamp · Poor in: Desert
Temperate forestGood fit Tropical jungleGood fit DesertPoor fit MountainsGood fit Snow & iceGood fit Coast & swampGood fit
Fit keyGood fitPoor fitAvoid
Other methods
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