Do the Health Benefits of Boiling Drinking Water Outweigh the Negative Impacts of Increased Indoor Air Pollution Exposure?

A modeling study explored the tradeoff of increased indoor air pollution from boiling drinking water in low-income settings. The study found that boiling water reduced the burden of diarrhea, with greater reductions for high-risk water quality and more efficient boiling methods. Even with unclean stoves and fuels, boiling water was associated with net reductions in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). However, further research is needed to empirically measure health outcomes from indoor air pollution and diarrhea associated with boiling drinking water. [Extracted from the article]