Using onboard water for drinking and cooking

[oxcamper]

In campgrounds water out of the spigot may be potable, but it may not taste all that good. We use a Britta filter for drinking and most cooking and the small amounts of ice we may need, although we buy bagged ice and just keep it in a cooler.

[007matman]

We use an in-line charcoal filter like this for everything.

CamcoTastePURE Water Filter (KDF) (2-Pack)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Ta...0045/205518952

I hook it up in-line when we're hooked up to city water and when I'm filling my freshwater tank.

[Oldbears]

Hi Sarahcat,

Even though I do sanitize our FW tank and lines - just to clean things up after storing empty all winter. We still don't drink from our tank. I reserve it for showers, dishes, and flushes because a majority of our camping is no hook up.

The water filter that came with our campers - I pulled that immediately, because it was causing an airlock in the system. That, and the placement was stupid, and the filter cartridges were expensive. Besides, that filter, as well as the Camco in-line filters, are only to filter larger sediment. The carbon ones improve taste, but they are not the type of filters that make non-potable water safe to drink. Personally, I have never filled our fresh tank unless I know the water is coming from a potable source.

I don't purchase bottled water because of the plastic waste, expense, and the bulk of just toting it around. Instead, I carry a refillable gallon jug, two Nalgene bottles (one for each of us), and I have a LifeStraw bottle. Then we simply refill them at the campground's potable water source, and use those for drinking, making coffee, and cooking. The LifeStraw filter bottle is handy in case the campground water tastes yucky (like in Texas), with the bonus of popping it into our backpack for hikes, in case we do need to collect water from an untreated source (the LifeStraw and Sawyer brand filtration DOES make water safer to drink + drop in treatment).

If we're planning on boondocking where there isn't a potable water source, then I bring a large jug(s) from home - just as we did years ago for boating on salt water.

[Martsing]

We have a house filter and drink from the tank. I sanitize the system a few times a year.

We also use bottled water because we keep it in the fridge for nice, cold, portable water.

Marty

[mwtracht]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

The water in my trailer is double filtered. I hook up the inline Camco carbon filter in the hose between the spigot and the trailer, and the trailer has it's own carbon filter built into the system. All my life (53 years), I've drank water out of the tap.

At home, I did have a problem with bacteria in the well water, so I have a 5 micron pre-filter, then through a UV light bacteria killing "filter".

Anyway, I have no issues drinking campground or home "tap" water.

The LCDR nailed it. All my water is double filtered and we use it for drinking and cooking and have for years.

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by Sarahcat

We’re relative newbies to camping and I’ve seen a lot of discussions about potable water systems, sanitation, etc. I get the impression that most people drink the water from the freshwater storage tank or a potable water connection at a campground.

At home, although we have good quality city water, we don’t drink it, make ice with it, or cook with it until it goes through a reverse osmosis filter with inline activated carbon filters. Does anyone use an onboard filter for drinking and cooking or do you just trust that the potable water is safe everywhere? I want decent water to wash dishes and personal showering, but we usually by bottled water for drinking and cooking, which is not free of risk, but it usually has been filtered and doesn’t have volatile organic compounds in it and sans a bad taste.

Does anyone post filter their water for galley use or use bottled water when camping?

I just googled "water filters for campers" and you can look at your different options

[rdolan5]

All our consumed water is ran through a filtered water pitcher. It removes the bad taste as a bonus!

[BigH]

Water is for bathing, flushing and cleaning.
Beer is for drinking...

[Scrapper]

To further add to the debate : https://www.healthambition.com/bottl...-vs-tap-water/

[Chuck_S]

Sarah is so paranoid she doesn't trust the water at her home, there's no way she'll trust campground or water tank water.

A scientifically rigorous study from 1999 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which tested three samples of more than 100 bottled-water brands, revealed that about a third of the bottles examined had levels of bacteria or chemical contaminants above state or industry standards or guidelines. Erik D. Olson, senior director for health and food at NRDC, believes a similar test today would yield similar results, but says he can’t say for sure without additional monitoring. As an example of ongoing problems, he cites a recent investigation by Consumer Reports that found several brands of bottled water contained potentially unsafe levels of arsenic.

The number of people dying in campgrounds from bad water is astounding!.

-- Chuck

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by 007matman

We use an in-line charcoal filter like this for everything.

CamcoTastePURE Water Filter (KDF) (2-Pack)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Ta...0045/205518952

I hook it up in-line when we're hooked up to city water and when I'm filling my freshwater tank.

City water at home is decent. I well sanitize the rig at least twice a year then put city water in straight, at home. I do not filter it because I want the chlorine to keep the rig clean.

IF I fill up one the road, I first taste that water. Then if it is suitable I still filter it pretty well before I put it in the rig.

If I add much local water during a trip, I will generally sanitize the whole system when I get home.

unlike others, I will drink the water out of our rig, at least if it's the water I brought from home although strangely we drink most of the water at home through the refrigerator which is filtered. The rig has a filtered tap at the sink but I haven't figured out how to get into the back of the cabinet and change that filter yet so I haven't used it.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Tom48

City water at home is decent. I well sanitize the rig at least twice a year then put city water in straight, at home. I do not filter it because I want the chlorine to keep the rig clean.

IF I fill up one the road, I first taste that water. Then if it is suitable I still filter it pretty well before I put it in the rig.

If I add much local water during a trip, I will generally sanitize the whole system when I get home.

unlike others, I will drink the water out of our rig, at least if it's the water I brought from home although strangely we drink most of the water at home through the refrigerator which is filtered. The rig has a filtered tap at the sink but I haven't figured out how to get into the back of the cabinet and change that filter yet so I haven't used it.

Unless you or a previous owner added a filter just for that faucet then you have what can be considered a whole house filter. It filters all the water to all the faucets whether that water is from the city hookup or the fw tank. So you have used it.

[Sarahcat]

Originally Posted by mogman

I sanitize the tank and lines at the start of the season and I'm good to go.I have a whole house filter on the motor home which is a carbon type and that's all. Sometimes we will buy water 59c/gallon at Lidl or Aldi if the campground water tastes off.

True story... When I was working, there used to be a spring water company on my route to work. Every morning the tanker trucks would be lined up to unload, they would go to the VA mountains to fill up each evening.. The business was sold to a big bottler and the tankers stopped but the "spring water" is still available. I guess it's the same city water that comes from my taps!!

I hope they filter it, whatever the source. I've attended an improv retreat (Chicago improv performers) and we take over a summer camp in Wisconsin, off season. The operators of the campground say the water is safe, but it smells of sulfur so pungent that taking a shower in the cabins is horrendous. I trust noise and tastebuds: If it smells and tastes off, then no thanks. I stopped going after two years, which I greatly regret, but I will not eat or drink anything my own senses tells me is bad.

BTW, We have two Dachshunds, Bubba (the old man) and Bruno (the 7½ month old puppy).

[Sarahcat]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Unless you or a previous owner added a filter just for that faucet then you have what can be considered a whole house filter. It filters all the water to all the faucets whether that water is from the city hookup or the fw tank. So you have used it.

We are the original owners and we've only had the TT since last October. We have only been for two nights to a state recreation area and there was no water, only electricity supplied. I decided to order a countertop activated carbon second level filter, in addition to the one that is on the 'city water' connection, which appears to primarily be a sediment filter. Whether we actually use the filter or drink the water this weekend, still remains to be seen and if we don't, I'm going to return the new filter unused.

[babock]

Although we do bring a 7 gallon container of water filled from our tap, I still drink the water out of my freshwater tank which was filled from home. No filtering done at all. Haven't died yet.

[The Evil Twin]

Sounds like filtering is more of a personal preference for you. If your city water is of good quality there would really be no reason not to use it to drink or cook with.
Away from home, we filter what comes out of the tap with the same type of filter that is in our fridge- carbon whatever. Mostly for lead and particulate. VOCs are not an issue if you fill your tank.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Sarahcat

in addition to the one that is on the 'city water' connection, which appears to primarily be a sediment filter.

That would depend entirely upon which filter cartridge you put in it. I know my TT filter is activated charcoal and 5 microns, because that is the cartridge I put in it.

[Sandy B]

Wow! I guess it's 'fess up time. I have been RVing since the very early 1980's. Always used tank water. Traveled extensively during the 80's and into mid 90's showing dogs. Refilled when ever tank got low with whatever water was available, sometimes from the hose bib on commercial buildings. Drove that 1983 coach for 12 years, sold it in good running condition after 82,000 miles, mostly put on over weekends. We constantly added to our water tank when we could to keep the dogs acclimated to a constantly changing taste.

We are now on our 6th coach. All used, all but the first one used. Never once sanitized or filtered. Never once carried bottled water for anything. Never once had a problem.
My traveling companion and I have both survived as have dozens of dogs, many pampered champions. I am now 85 years old and the current senior dog is coming up on 17 (the youngster is approaching 14) all of us still RVing regularly. I must admit to lately succumbing to using a blue filter - but I don't really know why. I think it maybe we decided at some point that it makes the water taste better at a few of our regular camping spots where we do sometimes hook up.

[The Newsoms]

For drinking and for ice we use a Brita filter pitcher. Whenever we pour some out, we just add some to be filtered. Who has room for bottles and bottles of water!?

[bedubya]

We also have reverse osmosis at home, primarily because DW is a water snob. (Hell, I still drink from the garden hose.) When we are heading out, I have 6 1-gallon jugs from the R.O. system and I fill our FW tank using a Camco blue filter. I use that when refilling our hooked up to city water. The jugs are for drinking and making coffee and ice. When the jugs are empty, any water we drink also goes through a PuR filter pitcher.


Works for us and keeps DW happy.