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Old 10-19-2016, 09:49 AM   #1
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Contaminated Water

I am recovering from an attack of giardia. We had been camping in a rural wooded campground with water and electric hookups. We use a filter on the water hookup, use it only for bathing and toilet. However, I got lazy one morning and brushed my teeth with it instead of bottled water. I have been dealing with this aftermath for more than two weeks. My immune system had been weakened by antibiotics for another health issue so I think this is why I couldn't fight the bacteria. It has been a really scary situation. I fully intend to never ingest water from my camper again and am hoping to find a filtering system that will prevent this.
Has anyone else ever had this happen? Is there a filter that will do a better job than the Camco filter to prevent this? Not all filters will filter out giardia.
Another reason to never trust a water source, don't care where it is.
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Old 10-24-2016, 05:51 PM   #2
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That has to be no fun at all, feel better. I don't use campground water either except for the toilet and shower. We carry bottled water for all drinking, etc including the water my dogs drink. I don't trust the filters and at some campgrounds the water smells funny.
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Old 10-24-2016, 06:36 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by TreeLady View Post
I am recovering from an attack of giardia. We had been camping in a rural wooded campground with water and electric hookups. We use a filter on the water hookup, use it only for bathing and toilet. However, I got lazy one morning and brushed my teeth with it instead of bottled water. I have been dealing with this aftermath for more than two weeks. My immune system had been weakened by antibiotics for another health issue so I think this is why I couldn't fight the bacteria. It has been a really scary situation. I fully intend to never ingest water from my camper again and am hoping to find a filtering system that will prevent this.
Has anyone else ever had this happen? Is there a filter that will do a better job than the Camco filter to prevent this? Not all filters will filter out giardia.
Another reason to never trust a water source, don't care where it is.
Sorry to hear you got sick from your water. Here is a link from the CDC, says you need a filter with the absolute 1 micron filter .
A Guide to Water Filters | Cryptosporidium | Parasites | CDC

Like these filters.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Life-52...+by+Hydro+Life

Filter holder here.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Life-52...6CE6HGMM6HEA57
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Old 10-24-2016, 06:48 PM   #4
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That has to be no fun at all, feel better. I don't use campground water either except for the toilet and shower. We carry bottled water for all drinking, etc including the water my dogs drink. I don't trust the filters and at some campgrounds the water smells funny.
X2!!! Only drink bottled water, and pooches also. Filters are "iffy" and campground water can be either good or bad depending on where your at. Just imagine camping in the area of Flint, Michigan.
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Old 10-24-2016, 07:12 PM   #5
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The campground we normally go to gives you purified water free just bring your container. Their city water is fine just tastes salty so we use their purified water.


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Old 10-24-2016, 07:15 PM   #6
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I switched to bottled water after Jake got the runs from campground water, I do filter all water coming in and use it for cooking (not my coffee) and showering and the toilet.
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Old 10-24-2016, 07:26 PM   #7
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Water is a funny thing we all take for granted sometimes.

Myself, I'd install an under counter Reverse Osmosis unit and call it good. You can get packaged units at Lowes or Menards and an RO will remove all orgainsims plus lead and everything else.
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Old 10-24-2016, 07:29 PM   #8
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X2!!! Only drink bottled water, and pooches also. Filters are "iffy" and campground water can be either good or bad depending on where your at. Just imagine camping in the area of Flint, Michigan.
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Horrible thought. There really isn't much food water here in Michigan anyway. I don't drink my well water, never have in 40 years.
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Old 10-24-2016, 07:53 PM   #9
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Sorry to hear you got sick from your water. Here is a link from the CDC, says you need a filter with the absolute 1 micron filter .
A Guide to Water Filters | Cryptosporidium | Parasites | CDC

Like these filters.

https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-Fi...cron+filter+rv

Filter holder here.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40631-P...m+Water+Filter
So will the filters you recommend in the link fit most housing units?
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Old 10-24-2016, 08:15 PM   #10
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So will the filters you recommend in the link fit most housing units?
Hi,
After doing additional research... the first link for filters were not genuine but a "compatable" 4 pack. The link has been replaced with a genuine Hydro Life filter.
Camco owns Hydro Life.
Hydro Life Water Filtration Systems
I also replaced the Camco Evo filter housing with the Hydro Life housing.
I have the Camco Evo housing that I am going to try this filter in. Before reading the OP's post, I used a Camco 5 micron filter, I will now only use these 1 micron filters that "Reduces cysts such as cryptosporidium and giardia lamblia by 99% "
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Old 10-25-2016, 12:45 AM   #11
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We run all of our drinking water (and water we put into our ice maker) through our Berkey Water Filter. We actually fill 2-gallon jugs and keep them in the fridge so that we have COLD drinking water.

We still brush our teeth + shower with campground water.

If I was overly concerned, I'd get a reverse osmosis system from rvwaterfilterstore.com.
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Old 10-25-2016, 09:23 AM   #12
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Thanks to all, especially about the information about the filters. I will definitely be checking out a way to install one. Our camper does not have a filter system on it like our previous one. Would like to filter all water coming into the water system.

Don't use the water for anything other than toilet or bathing. Not even brushing teeth. And I always carry water for the dog. Different water can affect an animal sometimes more than humans.

Getting this bacteria is very scarey. If a child had been infected by this I am sure it would mean hospitalization. And it takes more than a week and antibiotics to get over it.
I am much better but still trying to get stomach settled.

Thanks for all comments. I am not sure if anyone else staying at that campground was affected or not. There was heavy rain that weekend. Their water system could have been compromised by ground water.

Lesson learned. I will definitely be more careful in the future.
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Old 10-25-2016, 09:37 AM   #13
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Never had an issue till this year - left the camper hooked up for 4 months. the water from the tap developed a sewer smell...just from the bathroom sink, or so it seemed to my nose.

filled the system with bleach and it went away (from the onboard tank - didn't sanitize the supply hose).

Never got sick from it, but didn't like the experience none the less.
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Old 10-25-2016, 09:59 AM   #14
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Never had an issue till this year - left the camper hooked up for 4 months. the water from the tap developed a sewer smell...just from the bathroom sink, or so it seemed to my nose.

filled the system with bleach and it went away (from the onboard tank - didn't sanitize the supply hose).

Never got sick from it, but didn't like the experience none the less.

I think flushing the water system often is key. We usually camp at state parks and have to use the fresh water tank. We usually drain it when leaving camp.
I did some reading on ginardia, seems that iodine is better to kill the bacteria than bleach. So, when my camper gets back from dealer, may be rinsing tank and lines with idodine first, then flushing again with bleach. Also water hoses.
Yes, water that smells gives me pause also. I have been places where the water smelled like rotten eggs!!
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Old 10-25-2016, 12:23 PM   #15
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eggs is sulphur, not uncommon in some wells.

I've been fighting mold/mildew in my home bathroom - i was raised to leave the curtain open after a shower, my wife to close it. Moist, no air, no light - you get something growing.

Bleach right? No..to truly kill it i've read vinegar or hydrogen pyroxide is what is needed.

I suspect the light going through the water supply hose as the cause of the smell/issue..not sure though. too many variables.

Gonna winterize it today so it's a consideration for next year at this point.
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Old 11-29-2016, 08:17 PM   #16
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There are my ways you could have gotton the bug. One way is the water hose you used last time you were out camping, when you rolled it up and did not dry it out first. Also the filter also had left over water in it. I always put a little beach in it then run a little water then let it air dry overnight then put the ends back on after making sure its dry. Also the smell in you're sink is maybe from the drain in the sink has water runs in it. Pour some cleaner in it, if its the kitchen sink do it to. If the smell in kitchen sink is still there it may be the air vein for the drain, when it goes bad you will get a bad smell and you will think is the water.
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Old 11-29-2016, 09:00 PM   #17
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I think flushing the water system often is key. We usually camp at state parks and have to use the fresh water tank. We usually drain it when leaving camp.
I did some reading on ginardia, seems that iodine is better to kill the bacteria than bleach. So, when my camper gets back from dealer, may be rinsing tank and lines with idodine first, then flushing again with bleach. Also water hoses.
Yes, water that smells gives me pause also. I have been places where the water smelled like rotten eggs!!
If you want to use iodine for sanitizing, don't use the stuff from the drug store. The proper product is Iodophor. You can buy it from stores that support home beer brewers and home wine makers. Note that there are two types, one is used in restaurants, milk producers, hospitals, etc - it has a soap in it - you don't want this kind. The other does not have a soap additive. The stuff I use is no rinse required. My favorite supplier of this stuff is: B-T-F Iodophor Sanitizer 16.9
If you use Iodophor, you will not need to use bleach. Home brewers use Iodophor in place of bleach. And from what I know, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is not a viable sanitizer.

BTW, the rotten egg smell is caused by Sulphur, very common in many parts of the country. Sulphur in the water won't hurt you.

Also, as a note, giardia has invaded almost all US surface water (it is also known as beaver fever ). That means you can pick up this bugger just going for a swim in a lake. FWIW, from Wikipedia "Symptoms usually begin 1 to 3 weeks after exposure".
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Old 11-30-2016, 09:53 AM   #18
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It's just not at the campground that you can get beaver fever, you can get it from what you eat. DW caught it this year too


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Old 11-30-2016, 10:40 AM   #19
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For some things like Cryptosporidium iodine or chlorine is not effective and you need to filter the water with a 1 micron filter. For Giardia again the 1 micron filter is the most effective single process treatment although iodine and chlorine have a moderate effect on killing it. Boiling water is also effective for both but not always something you can do. I used to do a lot of back country camping when we lived in California. In these areas Giardia was fairly common so using water without some type of treatment was never a good idea. I tended to use both the filter and iodine as there was a risk that you could contaminate the outflow of the filter if your weren't careful. By adding the iodine to the filtered water I reduce this risk.
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Old 11-30-2016, 11:21 AM   #20
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Well I also had "Beaver fever"(giardia) a few years ago. I got it from a campground we have been to a few times. Just used it for brushing my teeth. My wife didn't. So I got 20 pounds lighter in 12 days. Never did get medication for it though. We were at that same campground this past summer for 2 weeks or so but did use bottled water this time. I always treat the water tank with bleach at the beginning of the season as well as the water heater. There is a whole house filter in the 5er but just a regular filter in the canister. I have to tell you this tho'. My wife gave me medication, as we call it, 3 times a day. It was 150 proof dark Navy rum . I think she thought I had scurvy . We were dry camping in the Rocky mountains after that campground when it hit me so didn't head for a hospital or clinic, which was hours away. Did see my own doc once we got back home and had some tests done but by then I was good to go..
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