Anybody Drink From Fresh Water Tank?

manyman297

We’ve avoided drinking from the fresh water tank both because of taste and safety. We typically carry a 2.5gallon water dispenser filled at home but it tends to get in the way on the counter. 

What’s the best way to get rid of the rubber taste from the plumbing? I’ve ran bleach through the system and it still tastes the same. If I could get rid of the taste I think we’d start drinking from the tap. 

VictoriaP

I do, after I run the water through an Epic Water Nano filtering pitcher. I’m way less concerned about taste than contaminants and bacteria, which is why I use the Nano (independent lab results are posted to the Epic Water site), but the taste is far better too as a result. Others have installed undercounter filtration. I’ve seen the Acuva recommended by some fulltime RVers. 

Whatever you choose, I’d make sure it handles actual removal of toxins, bacteria, and viruses. Not all campsite water is pristine, and even if the source is clean, careless idiots can contaminate faucets with waste.

manyman297

Thanks! I’ve looked at those under sink filters. I installed one at our house kitchen tap and it’s dead easy. Maybe I’ll go that route.

GigHarborTom

Mostly we drink tap water from home, or bottled water from the store, We use the onboard water for washing cooking things. We tend to use paper plates. We take on board water for flushing. Once in awhile we fill an on board tank half full. Concerned abought weight. Usually precool the frig and cooler, a day or two ahead of time with frozen jugs or bottles. Use later for coffee etc. We do rinse the tank and drain following and prior to a trip. We boondock seldom, and use available water, power, potty and shower. That is unless the old man is in a hurry.

Grumpy_G

Yes, it's filled with drinking water after all. I disinfect the water system in the spring before the first trip after it has been sitting empty for a couple of months (trailer is sitting inside over winter) but otherwise I'm not worried about contamination. At home I even use a regular garden hose to fill it (horror !), just flush it until there is cold fresh water coming out if it. Growing up drinking from springs or eating snow was just "hydrating" .

RCB

Our procedure is to flush well in the spring with a dose of bleach. Consumable water is first filtered with a Camco taste pure filter when filling the tank. On board there is a 3M AP 200 filter installed just after the pump which filters all water consumed. We do drink this water and make coffee with it. After three years still alive and kicking.

[Deleted User]

Nope

RVMike

Yes, we do drink the water from the fresh water tank.  I am sure, however, it depends on what part of the country you live.  We live in the mountain region of Washington, and the water from the faucet is great.  If you live in hotter areas, or do not use your RV regularly, or your tap water is icky anyway, like some water systems in Arizona, I say avoid drinking from the freshwater tank.  

I bleach out our water tank and pipes every spring when dewinterising.  We live where it is cool and use our RV a lot.  I must confess that for the last several years I have started using a blue Camco water filter when using RV park water or filling our tank.  When I fill the tank at home, I fill from a garden hose, always have.  

webers3

Nope. Not taking any chance. It won’t take much to spoil your camping trip, no matter how much you sanitize it. 

manyman297

Still researching but I’m leaning towards installing an under sink filter. Most of the water we consume gets boiled for tea or coffee so getting sick from it wouldn’t be an issue. Anything to reduce redundancies is a plus. It is weird to lug around water when you have a water tank built into your camper…I tell myself this every time I lug out our water jug.

Homebodyatheart

Yes, and first it runs through the Camco filter from the spigot to the trailer. I fill the tank from a known source, like home. 

TNOutback

If I’ve gone more than a month between trips, I will sanitize the water system with bleach as recommended since it is nearly impossible to fully drain the water tank. If it’s been a month or less, I will just run some fresh water into the tank and let it drain out to flush out the “old” water that sits in the bottom of the tank.  We use a Brita filter pitcher for final drinking water, but otherwise, yes, we use the tank for drinking water.  Never had a problem in 17 years. 

MarkAl

I'm with @Grumpy_G on this, as somebody who still will stick my head in a stream (with some discretion!) and drink deeply. I accept the risk, but also bleach the tank once a year. We keep a 2.5 gallon jug outside on the BD front rack for cold drinks mainly we like our local water taste. I do think if I worried more I'd put an undersink filter in however.

Mickerly

The question about safety in drinking the trailer water depends on the trailer owner. The system is perfectly safe as long as you keep it clean. There are only two variables, the water going in and how long it sits there.

If you use a filter in the inbound water or use city treated water, the water is clean. Most filters will remove chlorine and chlorine evaporates off an hour or two after it is exposed to the air. You water was safe as it entered you trailer. After about 4 days you will be able taste the water beginning to grow.

Sanitize once per year to keep the system clean. Try to use all the taps each time you use the trailer to keep fresh water in the line. Drain stored water when you are not using the trailer. 

That being said, we bring a jug of ice water. The trailer doesn't have a "cold water maker". We skip the jug in the winter because it isn't needed. The more water runs through the plastic tubing, the less it will taste like plastic.

manyman297

I like the idea of having ice water stored in the TV when needed and then filtering the kitchen faucet. Like I mentioned earlier, we mainly use the water for tea and coffee and the ice water would just be used during the day when needed.

I always drain the water after each trip and sanitized this spring.

ChrisFix

VictoriaP said:

I do, after I run the water through an Epic Water Nano filtering pitcher. I’m way less concerned about taste than contaminants and bacteria, which is why I use the Nano (independent lab results are posted to the Epic Water site), but the taste is far better too as a result. Others have installed undercounter filtration. I’ve seen the Acuva recommended by some fulltime RVers. 

Whatever you choose, I’d make sure it handles actual removal of toxins, bacteria, and viruses. Not all campsite water is pristine, and even if the source is clean, careless idiots can contaminate faucets with waste.

 And I do exactly the same as VictoriaP. Just completed an 8 week 8,500 mile trip doing this, and no issues. Really like the Epic filtering pitcher. If you look at them, I'd recommend going with the Nano version for camping, as it does well with biological contaminants in addition to the standard things.

Mickerly

Epic Water Nano filtering pitcher says it goes down to 2 microns. That should clean out anything that will make you sick.

burkeks

A little off topic but I've looked at the NuCamp dewinterization tech video and he uses what appears to be a 5 gallon bucket for the bleach mixture. I understand our 320s fresh water tank is 21 gallons of which 18 is useable. How much bleach solution do you use to sanitize. Is 5 gal. enough?

Sharon_is_SAM

Use 1/4 cup per 10 gallons or 1/2 cup for your roughly 20 gallon tank.  Mix that in the five gallon bucket and siphon it in, then add more fresh water to fill up the tank.

One other thing owners should consider is to wipe down with bleach any campsite or community spigot that you hook up to or retrieve water from.  You never know who has gone before you or what they hooked up to the spigot.

We use the Epic Nano pitcher as well.  Easy and relatively compact.

ChrisFix

Sharon_is_SAM said:

One other thing owners should consider is to wipe down with bleach any campsite or community spigot that you hook up to or retrieve water from.  You never know who has gone before you or what they hooked up to the spigot.

That is exactly what I do as well. I can't count the number of places I've stayed where the fresh water spigot is waaay to close to the sewer hookup.

Maxcamp

We keep 5 to 7 gal jug in back of truck for drinking brushing and cooking, use trailer water for cleanup and shower.  Jug sits in Rubbermaid handled tote to contain any leaks*  that could develop and is ratchet strapped to tiedowns.  Heavy and cumbersome.  Refilling quart Nalgene bottles twice a day, two of which we store in wash basin below camper sink.

Helpful thread, like idea of filtering. 
 Where do folks store their nano or other water pitcher during travel, and does water slop out the top?  

(*pressure and hits from gear can make any plastic jug or valve fail at some point.  Hopefully small and contained.)

manyman297

The type of filters I’m looking at are similar to this one I installed in our home kitchen:

Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink Water Filter System, NSF/ANSI 42 Certified, Under Counter Water Filter Direct Connect to Kitchen Faucet, 8K Gallons High Chlorine Reduction Capacity, USA Tech https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083NPW1DN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MTZJN2PHR1AEED238981?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It works well and is affordable. There are many other high end options but ones like this are nice and somewhat compact. Also they’re dead simple to install. The only downside is they can be quite large. I think this one is 13” tall…not even sure it will fit in the 400.

VictoriaP

@Maxcamp8 In my 320, I have a small storage footstool, the Nano pitcher fits in there for travel just fine, along with either pantry stuff or soft goods. Height-wise, it should fit in any space under the dinette, and either undersink cabinet, not sure about the upper rear cabinets as I haven’t tried. I would not transport it or any other unsealed container with any significant amount of water inside.

@manyman297 The Waterdrop filter you linked looks like a good house filter for city water supplies. Personally, I wouldn’t use it in a camping situation because it cannot protect you from bacteria, viruses, or pesticides per their responses in the Q&A section. We know bacteria can grow in your tank in a remarkably short time; how much risk there is from bacteria (or viruses or pesticides) at the water source itself varies. Regardless, I’ve been in my trailer with a stomach bug, it’s not fun. For me, it’s not worth taking the chance, which is why I took the route I did. If you’re comfortable with that level of risk, the Waterdrop should at least improve the plastic taste you’re running into from your plumbing.

manyman297

@VictoriaP

Yeah, I noticed that it didn’t filter out that stuff. Might need to look at something else. Although that water would be boiled since we’d only use that water for hot drinks.