During a boil water advisory, use bottled water or boiled water for drinking, brushing teeth, making formula, washing dishes and preparing food. Boiled water should be boiled for 3 minutes.
Most households interviewed boiled their water indoors on a common stove called a plancha. They left the pot over the heat for most of the day.
Boiling Water
Boiling water kills most pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa making it safe for drinking. It is recommended that you boil your water until bubbles come quickly from the bottom of the pot to the top (longer at higher altitudes) and then to turn off the heat and allow it to cool. Once cooled you can pour the water into clean containers with covers for storage. You may also wish to pour the water between containers several times as this aerates it and improves the flat taste that often occurs.
In a recent five week study in rural Guatemala households that reported always or mostly boiling their water showed an 86.2% reduction in geometric mean thermotolerant coliforms, indicating that boiling is effective at treating drinking water. These results suggest that boiling is a good point-of-use water treatment method for rural communities and it is important to continue to support these efforts.
During the eligibility visit household members were interviewed by a field investigator who collected information about their water collection, boiling and post-boiling water storage and use practices. In the majority of households water was boiled by the female head of the household, most often using a large pot. The average amount of water boiled daily was 2.0 L, and households were typically boiling 2 to 3 times per day.
Chilled Water
Having chilled water available in the kitchen is a real benefit, especially on hot Australian summer days. It’s refreshing and satisfying, but it also helps to keep you hydrated. It’s been scientifically proven that drinking chilled water causes you to burn more calories, as your body has to work harder to maintain the temperature.
Unlike bottled water, our chilled filtered water system is environmentally friendly and easy to install. It uses a smart patented technology that recovers waste heat energy from dispensed chilling water, and reuses it to preheat boiling water. This significantly reduces energy consumption and costs, while also helping to reduce waste output. The water is dispensed from a sleek and stylish bench-top tap with an option of gooseneck or mixer. The taps are designed and manufactured in Australia to be a beautiful addition to any kitchen, with deluxe chrome stainless steel or cool matt black finishes.
Depending on your needs, you can select from models that dispense 15-50 litres of chilled water per hour. The system is fully insulated and self-contained in an under bench unit, with adjustable temperature controls for consistent and efficient operation. With no cupboard ventilation or cooling fans, it operates much quieter than air cooled systems. This makes it an ideal solution for workplaces of 60+ users. It’s also a great alternative to purchasing and disposing of single-use plastic bottles, which can be a significant environmental footprint.
Filtered Water
Water filtration is a safe, efficient way to make sure your drinking water is free of contaminants. It can be used to filter out suspended particles (which cause turbidity) and harmful microbes which can be found in tap water making it unsafe to drink under certain circumstances. It can also be used to remove the unpleasant taste and odors of these contaminants.
Filtering is especially beneficial in emergency situations where your normal source of clean water has been compromised such as during floods or water main breaks. The process of filtration can remove common contaminants such as giardia and cryptosporidium. This can significantly reduce the risk of illness.
However, it is important to remember that boiling water does not remove heavy metals and dissolved chemicals such as chlorine. Instead, these contaminants actually become more concentrated in the heat. In addition, boiling can impact the taste and texture of the water.
The award-winning QETTLE Original offers four flows from one spout – boiling and chilled filtered water as well as hot and cold tap water. It has a low environmental footprint with an average of seven litres of water needed to produce just one litre of bottled water. This is a significant reduction in the energy and resources needed to fill, transport and recycle bottles. Plus, it saves you money on the cost of bottled water and makes your home more environmentally conscious!
Under Bench Unit
There’s no shortage of kitchen gadgets and appliances claiming to make your life easier. But, in a world where your fridge can order groceries and your phone can turn on the toaster, it’s important to pick products that will truly add value. Instant boiling water and chilled water taps are among the most practical and useful.
Unlike portable hot water dispensers that simply heat the water from a reservoir, instant water systems have an under-bench unit concealed within the sink cabinet which is fed from the mains supply and provides boiling water instantly once activated. Because there is no need to wait for the tank to fill and boil, instant water systems are incredibly convenient, saving you time and energy.
These systems can be installed in new kitchens or retrofitted into existing cabinets. However, they require extensive electrical and plumbing connections so if you’re retrofitting an existing kitchen, we recommend seeking professional assistance.
Some systems, such as Zip HydroTap, include a filtration system that reduces bacteria, cysts (including cryptosporidium and giardia), bad taste, odour, chlorine and heavy metals to provide you with safe, fresh, clean drinking water. While other brands, such as Billi, offer a variety of aesthetically-pleasing tapware that is designed to complement your kitchen and workspace. They also feature Australia’s lowest energy consumption and carbon footprint thanks to their unique energy reclaim and standby modes. instant boiling water and chilled water tap