Question about Fresh Water Tank....

GeauxCajuns · 07-13-2016, 11:28 AM

My dh has a brother who has been working in the RV repair business for several years. We were getting ready to leave on a 21 day cross-country trip and were anticipating several night of boondocking. His brother told him that the freshwater tanks on RV's are not intended to hold water for drinking purposes (?) and that it was just to take a shower (?). I don't believe this is the case, and decided to ask the opinions of those of you with more experience than I have.

5picker · 07-13-2016, 11:37 AM

A properly sanitized fresh water system in a RV is perfectly capable of being used for potable water.

Ford Idaho · 07-13-2016, 11:39 AM

As long as the tank has been sanitized and flushed with fresh water there is no reason to not drink it, just be sure of the water quality.

I never leave water in the lite between trips and flush it before leaving on a trip.

BandJCarm · 07-13-2016, 11:39 AM

Yeah, drink away. Besides, you live in S. Louisiana, dontcha? You guys eat boiled coot (if it's done right in a gumbo, and it usually is) and drink swamp water. Your immune systems are WAY better than anyone's.

Seriously, I drink mine and won't hesitate to do so. BUT, I always put in a good, fairly new, direct line water filter!!

jeff64 · 07-13-2016, 11:40 AM

As long as it's been sanitized once in a while. All the water that goes into mine goes through a filter anyway.

ain't dead yet!

BradB · 07-13-2016, 11:43 AM

We do lots of dry camping and while I take care to sanitize the tank & lines we don't drink the water or make coffee with it. Maybe a little bit on tooth brushes. Drinking water is cheap--the two of us get by on a gallon a day.

**bikendan** · 07-13-2016, 01:04 PM

Your DH'S brother is either clueless or picky about his water.

We've been drinking the FW tank water out of our RVs for the past 30 years and never had any issues or bad taste.

ChooChooMan74 · 07-13-2016, 01:07 PM

I am with everyone above. I sanitize mine, at the beginning of the year, and if it has been a while and I am expecting to drink out of it, I may do it again.

bobbrown · 07-13-2016, 01:27 PM

We don't drink our water but we don't drink our tap water at home either and haven't for many years. Just a personal choice that's all.

We bring bottled water for drinking and making coffee/tea etc.

Still flush and sanitize our fresh tank as it's just good practice and still use it for brushing teeth and shower!

Bob

2013 Sunseeker 3170ds

tom50mg · 07-13-2016, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeauxCajuns

My dh has a brother who has been working in the RV repair business for several years. We were getting ready to leave on a 21 day cross-country trip and were anticipating several night of boondocking. His brother told him that the freshwater tanks on RV's are not intended to hold water for drinking purposes (?) and that it was just to take a shower (?). I don't believe this is the case, and decided to ask the opinions of those of you with more experience than I have.

We flush with known good water and fill the tank with new water and add 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide ,it kills any bacteria and is drinkable.

lacamastraveler · 07-13-2016, 02:24 PM

To the question "RV's are not intended to hold water for drinking purposes".

I agree with what everyone says about sanitizing the fresh water tank (I do mine twice a year).

However, I will drink from it only if I am 100% sure of the water source. I can't locate it now, but in 2007 I read a story on water safety in the U.S. and the story stated that RV parks with water wells are often the least tested or not tested at all. Not good.

Yeah, I know many will say "I've never had a problem." I just don't want to be the guy that does.

There is a park I stay at several times a year that I know has safe water, so I will use it. But when I travel I use "bottled" water.

Here is a cost saving tip: Next time you buy water gallon jugs save them and then refill them from home before leaving. An occasional wash is a good idea. Vinegar jugs are even better because they are stronger.

DocRob · 07-13-2016, 02:47 PM

Your DW's brother is likely hoping you will offer to serve beer. They call them fresh water takes because they hold fresh water and not much can grow in clean tanks. If it makes you feel better mix it with your favorite distilled beverage. Happy dining.

SatDAve36 · 07-13-2016, 04:07 PM

while relaxing at an rv park on 66 in AZ, my neighbor was filling his ice maker and noticed the local water was cloudy and red. Shortly thereafter, his water flow stopped. Needless to say the water filter plugged up. Concerned, I went to the local hardware store and configured a whole house filter external to the RV, the sediment 5 micron filters are about $2.00 each (a lot cheaper than Camco Filters)

the picture tells it all: this is less than12 hours, one dish washing and 2 showers.

I have replaced the filter 3 times on this trip - 74 days. Don't care how good they say the water is its less crud in my tank...

Havasu Bill · 07-13-2016, 04:32 PM

We solved the issue by only drinking water from the water pitcher/filter arrangement we keep in our fridge. It's an expensive filter and there are many options like it. I think ours was about $50. We use it for coffee and to fill another pitcher that we have lemon, cucumber, mint and ginger in for just normal drinking purposes.
I also have a filter that all water goes through before going to the water tank on my Cardinal. We did the same thing with the Country Coach.
Luckily, we haven't had an issue and we do use the standard tank water to brush our teeth with so we're not overly fanatical about it.

markb422 · 07-13-2016, 05:43 PM

If I am filling the fw at the park, I filter the water going in the tank and use a filter/pitcher for drinking and coffee.

Camp Nutz · 07-13-2016, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom50mg

We flush with known good water and fill the tank with new water and add 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide ,it kills any bacteria and is drinkable.

Thanks for the tip using Hydrogen Peroxide. I had been wondering about that.

Lefty59 · 07-13-2016, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom50mg

We flush with known good water and fill the tank with new water and add 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide ,it kills any bacteria and is drinkable.

I Googled drinking hydrogen peroxide to see what I could find about this and I don't think I'll be practicing this method:

Hydrogen Peroxide

Debunking the dangerous detox myth of hydrogen peroxide | HellaWella

wrvond · 07-13-2016, 08:30 PM

Treat your water with chlorine. Use name brand chlorine bleach, it contains a full 5% chlorine. The dollar brands have about 3%.
Instructions are freely available online. Use instructions posted by the Health Department.
Also, if you reuse water jugs, they only have a shelf life of six months.

ChooChooMan74 · 07-13-2016, 10:17 PM

One thing to be careful, depends on where you fill up, your tank could be loaded with Hydrogen Monoxide. They use that chemical to cool down nuclear reactors.

mnoland30 · 07-14-2016, 08:40 AM

If you're sure of the source ( like at home), just fill it up.
To sanitize, add a cup or so of bleach per 30 gallons, and leave it in overnight. Then drain and fill, untill it doesn't taste like chlorine. Since yours is new, you can probably skip that step.

If you aren't sure of the source, then use a filter to remove the big organisms, and bleach to kill the little ones.

The FEMA website says: Add one-eighth teaspoon (or eight drops) of regular, unscented, liquid household chlorine bleach for each gallon of water (one teaspoon of bleach disinfects five gallons of water). Stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before use. Store the disinfected water in clean containers with covers. Since liquid chlorine bleach loses strength over time, only fresh bleach should be used for water disinfection. For bleach that is one to two years old, the dosage should be doubled.

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