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**moosetags** · 09-01-2009, 04:51 PM

We always drink from Lucy's fresh water tank. We use an in-line filter on the hose that we fill with, and we also run our drinking water through our Moen in-faucet filter. i also feel that it has got to taste better than the gray or black tank water.

Brian

toastie · 09-01-2009, 04:56 PM

Noooooo way............

Minno · 09-01-2009, 05:03 PM

We use our tank water and drink it. We sanitize it every spring with bleach water and then use vinegar to get rid of the bleach taste. Used to use baking soda for that, but then my eldest son turned me on to the vinegar scene - recommended by the hot water heater manufacturers. Works great!
We try to avoid bottled water - too expensive and too much plastic generated! We drink regular tap water at home too. Comes from the Mississippi river.

We drain our water tank on the trailer in between trips/uses, including the lines to the sinks, etc. We've never been sick from it, and have never had issues doing this. I also grew up camping in a travel trailer, and my parents did the same things. Never had issues.
I don't use antibacterial soaps at home either. I'm a nurse and have dealt with way too many superinfections generated from weak immune systems, and super bugs caused by antibacterial soaps and cleaners and over/misuse of antibiotics. If we never expose our bodies to bacterias, we never build up the immunities we need to survive. Not to say we should be foolish, but antibacterials aren't needed in our homes. (sorry for the rant - one of my "topics").

Kay

Airstream01 · 09-01-2009, 05:10 PM

Yes, the water in my fresh tank is probably much cleaner than it was on the ole USS Santa Fe, and I drank that, so I think I'll be fine. Of course I bought new and I know whats been in it, if I bought an older unit, I'd probably think twice.

Question: My dealer told me not to keep the fresh water tank full when in storage to prevent algea and stuff from growing. Is this a good recommendation or should I just keep it filled between camping trips?

Wingeezer · 09-01-2009, 05:13 PM

I always sterilize with bleach, but even so, we generally don't drink it. Not sure if my Mrs cooks with it or not!

It is mainly for toilet flushing / hand basin & shower , if we find ourself without hookups.

We do have a filter in the galley faucet that removes chlorine and larger lumps though!

Brian.

I generally lavce quite a b

Smartstream · 09-01-2009, 05:14 PM

I try to avoid water as it makes you rust. If liquids must be consumed it is best to add some form of anti rust such as hops that turn it amber or those brown beans that add caffeine. Another choice is to let Mother Nature filter through some trees or plants and then squeeze it out.

As mentioned above when on a boat you don't have a lot of choice. We lived on ours for ten years and never had a problem. We never really sanitized it but we did use it on a daily basis so it never had a chance to get stale. Add a jug of white wine one or twice a year keeps it tasting good.

Cheers, Dan

Gene · 09-01-2009, 05:17 PM

I received a PM from a health care professional that said I don't know what I'm talking about regarding salt (see #4) and made a sensible case about that. I am going to arrange a cage death match between the professional and the scientist and let them bite, gouge, and kick and I'll stay away from chemistry (something my college chemistry professor would heartily recommend).

Interestingly, our water company has been under a state boil order for years—our old filter plant lets too much silt through the filters. Silt can hide bacteria, though the silt itself is harmless. No one of the 300+ customers has ever admitted actually boiling the water and no one has gotten sick. We have to test the water and it passes every test except silt. Our new plant isn't quite ready yet and a long strange trip that has been (lawsuit, 3 bad engineering firms, rogue company officer screwing up things). Our water comes from a creek flowing through completely undeveloped land, mostly wilderness, over 9,000'—giardia is possible, but the filters will pick that up. So we have excellent water, but are supposed to boil it.

Gene

TBRich · 09-01-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airstream01

...>snip<.....
Question: My dealer told me not to keep the fresh water tank full when in storage to prevent algea and stuff from growing. Is this a good recommendation or should I just keep it filled between camping trips?

I think that depends on how long you are going to store it, the quality of the water in it, whether you add anything to keep the water fresh, and the general climate where you store it. I am uncomfortable with letting things "dry out" because that's asking for leaks to develop, especially our dry SW climate. We have had our unit since 2007 and the tank has never been completely empty... If I were going to store it for a period longer than a month without using it, I would drain the tanke periodically and put fresh water in, along with "freshener" produce or a very weak bleach solution, just to help anything "growing."

FLYNCLD · 09-01-2009, 05:29 PM

New tank, new pex throughout, Britta filter, picky where I get water, but mostly use it for coffee, boiled foods (soup, noodles, etc.). Never had a problem..yet!

I do rest easy most of the time with the knowledge that no known pathogens can survive in alcohol!

FLYNCLD

samb · 09-01-2009, 05:33 PM

Absolutely!
That is what it is for. The last thing I want to do is haul around "other" water. After spending over thirty years developing and maintaining state park water systems to state and federal safety standards I feel confident I can keep my little closed trailer system water safe and good tasting. It's not rocket science. Flush, sanitize and use, repeat as necessary. Don't put dirt in it.
Sam

mojo · 09-01-2009, 05:34 PM

I don't understand. You own a travel trailer with all the conveniences yet some refuse to drink water from the fresh water tank. Others refuse to use the built in shower (I presume they at least shower in a campground facility at some point). You have a built in toilet but some would rather stumble in the dark to find a pit toilet. Many have an oven but only use it for storage. How many sleep outside so they don't have to make a bed?

Didn't we all buy one of these things so we could enjoy all of these conveniences out in the middle of nowhere?

eubank · 09-01-2009, 05:36 PM

We drink it. It's sanitized. Yes, it's 42 years old, but that's a good deal younger than some of the water systems found in city water around the country.

Lynn

ZoominC6 · 09-01-2009, 05:37 PM

Only with a strong dose of Crown Royal

Like others here, we sterilize a couple of times a year and never have a problem drinking from our fresh water tank. Ours is a bit newer than some but we're not at all paranoid about it. We utilize a filter when hooked up to shore water and when drinking from the tap in the galley. We change both filters regularly.

InsideOut · 09-01-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojo

I don't understand. You own a travel trailer with all the conveniences yet some refuse to drink water from the fresh water tank. Others refuse to use the built in shower (I presume they at least shower in a campground facility at some point). You have a built in toilet but some would rather stumble in the dark to find a pit toilet. Many have an oven but only use it for storage. How many sleep outside so they don't have to make a bed?

Didn't we all buy one of these things so we could enjoy all of these conveniences out in the middle of nowhere?

I know we did!

We clean it regularly and filter the water going in from a known source...we've never had any problems. And yes, we do use our beds, toilet, shower & oven as well...

Shari

Wingeezer · 09-01-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojo

I don't understand. You own a travel trailer with all the conveniences yet some refuse to drink water from the fresh water tank. Others refuse to use the built in shower (I presume they at least shower in a campground facility at some point). You have a built in toilet but some would rather stumble in the dark to find a pit toilet. Many have an oven but only use it for storage. How many sleep outside so they don't have to make a bed?

Didn't we all buy one of these things so we could enjoy all of these conveniences out in the middle of nowhere?

Hehehe! Good points!

I guess when I think about it, I don't drink from te fresh water tank because I don't trust my sterilization methods!

I do use the shower whenever I have doubts about the cleanliness or inconvenience of the campground showers - which seems fairly often!

We do use the toilet, but a cardinal rule I set from the first day we owned an RV, many years ago, was "only for peeing!" We have adhered to that ever since!

I could well be all wrong in this, but I always felt that the chance of plumbing troubles could otherwise be much higher and I didn't want to have to deal with that!

Maybe I should rethink!

Brian.

bryanl · 09-01-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Flush, sanitize and use, repeat as necessary. Don't put dirt in it.

best advice I've seen in such a concise form!

Filters help keep the dirt out but can't be depended upon for sanitizing. Public water systems in the US are disinfected and generally 'safe.' Sanitize with the quarter cup plain bleach to 15 gallons to get the smell in all faucets at least once a year then flush until the smell is gone. Drain and refill weekly or so when in use. If using private wells add a small amount of plain bleach. Should be safe, shouldn't smell, shouldn't taste any funnier than any water you're not used to.

frlcad5 · 09-01-2009, 06:14 PM

We never use the fresh water from our tank or water away from home for drinking or cooking. Not even for our dog. We wash and use it in the toilet only. We fill four or five fresh water gallon jugs before we leave home and put them on the floor of the shower where they will cause no harm if they should spill. As they become empty we make a "NECESSARY" trip to WalMart where they have a reverse osmosis water machine. The water is inexpensive and gives us pease of mind. I have gotten sick from water away from home and it won't happen again.

bredlo · 09-01-2009, 06:38 PM

Fascinating thread. What a wide variety of opinions: some for, some against, some passive, some full of conviction! We're only just getting around to cleaning our tanks for the first time since we bought the thing (and it was likely in storage for decades before that) so I can't weigh in yet with experience.

I'd like to use all on board systems in the way they were intended, but when it comes time to fill my cup from a 47 year old galvanized tank, who knows -- I may chicken out and turn to my giant insulated thermos. I can refill from multi-gallon jugs of distilled water on the road.

I'll add I'd feel more comfortable drinking out of an aquarium, where at least I'd be able to scrub it out and make sure it's spotless!

HeadnOut · 09-01-2009, 06:46 PM

I flush, brush, shower, cook and make coffee with it. But I have to say that I dont just pour a glass of water to drink....mainly because I can never completly get the bleach taste out.

Tin Diesel · 09-01-2009, 07:04 PM

Yes, and we don't even think about it. I will admit that we use the kitchen filter for our drinking water and an inline filter when we fill the tank or hook up to city water (which we almost never do).

For those who are using it to brush their teeth but won't drink it, well... duh - that's like Bill Clinton (I didn't inhale!).

We bought our Airstream used four years ago and had to clean out a really GUNKY fresh water tank. But once sterilized and flushed repeatedly, its been fine. We now sanitize twice a year, and store it empty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minno

I don't use antibacterial soaps at home either. I'm a nurse and have dealt with way too many superinfections generated from weak immune systems, and super bugs caused by antibacterial soaps and cleaners and over/misuse of antibiotics. If we never expose our bodies to bacterias, we never build up the immunities we need to survive. Not to say we should be foolish, but antibacterials aren't needed in our homes. (sorry for the rant - one of my "topics").

Kay

When I was a child in the 50's and 60's, we travelled Europe and North Africa (Dad was in the Air Force). We never lived 'on-base' but always in local homes in the countryside - and drank the water that was in the tap. And whenever Dad had time off, we all piled into the car and travelled everywhere AND drank whatever water was available on the road.

I think Kay is right. I've NEVER had problems when travelling and I think its because my immune system was turbo-charged during a childhood of being exposed to everything in the world.

Also, if you really think your home tap water is safer than your easily-sanitized and completely contained Airstream system, you probably don't want to look at the underground pipes feeding your house!

And that's my rant!