Does tap water need to be boiled or filtered

Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

RetroGamer87
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 Jul 2013
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 10,932
Location: Adelaide, Australia

19 Jun 2021, 8:07 pm

...before giving it to baby?

Sorry, it wouldn't let me put the full-length title I wanted. My partner and I had a disagreement over making the baby formula. We're mixed feeding because my partner is worried she won't be able to produce enough milk.

The disagreement arose when my partner noticed I had a different way of preparing the formula than her. She will boil the water and mix it with cold water that's been through a Brita filter. In other words she boils the water and cools it. I heat it up to 40 to 50 degrees, rather than allowing it to boil and then coil.

My partner said that without either boiling or filtering, the tap water may contain bacteria. I said that no bacteria could be living in chlorinated water and so tap water is safe to drink. I drink it all the time.

My partner said that the instructions on the formula can said to boil the water first. I said that this formula could be exported all over the world and that some countries may not have chlorinated water. Some people have difficulty accessing safe drinking water so for them boiling the water prior to consumption would be a necessity.

So I have two questions.
1) am I wrong about tap water being safe for babies to drink? Could it contain live pathogens?
2) if the answer to the first question is yes, would the Brita filter make it safe for baby to drink?

If the water has bacteria, is it ok to have a mix of half boiled water and half Brita filtered water or does all of the water need to have been boiled?


_________________
The days are long, but the years are short


kraftiekortie
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 4 Feb 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 87,510
Location: Queens, NYC

19 Jun 2021, 8:19 pm

If a baby is under six months, water is supposed to be boiled. After six months, water straight from the tap is okay when older people are able to drink tap water.

According to the British NHS.



RetroGamer87
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 Jul 2013
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 10,932
Location: Adelaide, Australia

19 Jun 2021, 11:16 pm

The baby is 10 months old.


_________________
The days are long, but the years are short


kraftiekortie
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 4 Feb 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 87,510
Location: Queens, NYC

20 Jun 2021, 6:05 am

According to the NHS, it’s safe to give your baby tap water without boiling.