..We just got back from a week of camping up in the mountains around Pigeon Force, TN. Had a great time up there, in spite of how hot its been.Anyway, we heard some campers talking about how the water at the campground was not very clean. Seemed OK in our camper, so didnt think much about it. Then, just before we left to come home yesterday, I looked at the filter on our RV's filtration system. For the first time EVER, that thing was completely brown inside! Have never seen that happen before, usually I only change that filter at the end of each season, and it is still completely white/clear when I change it. Not this time. Just 1 week at this campground, and filter was completely brown, bad enough I replaced it as soon as we got home!Just for kicks, I snapped a picture of the filter before I removed it. Check this out:Upon examining the water spigot closer when we were unhooking yesterday to pull out, it looks like that is all rust contamination, coming from the spigot itself. I'm seriously considering calling the campground and having a word with them about it. Not to ask for a refund or anything like that, but more to let them know of this situation, as someone that drinks this water without using a filtration system...Yikes!..The lesson we learned, that can be learned from this: If you don't have a filtration system of some kind...GET ONE. I've not been a big proponent of such in the past, and this is actually our first rig that has a 'whole house' filtration system. Now, though, I am very, very glad we have such after seeing how bad the water can be. We rarely ever drink water we're hooked up to when camping, we typically bring our own drinking water (in gallon jugs). Sooo, fortunately we didn't drink any of this water, even filtered. However, we do use the water for showers, washing dishes, etc. Filter did its job as water seemed clear, OK inside.

:hSo they had rust in their water system? It's not going to kill you. What are you going to complain about? Bad tasting water? Just what is so bad about drinking rusty water (iron water)?

That's why my DW likes to carry bottled water. Just in case.

Turtle n Peeps wrote::hSo they had rust in their water system? It's not going to kill you. What are you going to complain about? Bad tasting water? Just what is so bad about drinking rusty water (iron water)?Wasn't going to call to complain necessarily, as it really didn't impact us that much. I was just thinking it might be a good idea to let them know about it, that this might be something they need to look into.I agree its not going to kill anyone, I'm just not used to seeing a water filter get THAT dirty that quickly. Like I said, normally I only replace that filter at the end of every season, and it has never before even looked like it needed replacing then.Will

Take a close look at your water pipes at home sometime. Most of the things in water that will hurt you are not even visible. While I filter my drinking water, it's mostly to remove any chlorine taste or smell.

some folks walk around wearing drywall dust masks, thinking it will keep them safe from the microbes in the air. some folks drink bottled water or filtered water thinking it will keep them safe.truthfully, i drink bottled water because I'm LAZY. Its easier to buy a bottle and toss it in the land fill than it is to fill up a reusable one in the gas station bathroom or some such.never met tap water I wouldn't drink in the US, Canada or Europe... but I'm a special snowflake, or at least that's what primary school taught me.oh, in Rome (Italy) I drank from nearly every public fountain I came across while out walking around... not dead yet :)

Why you should have a filtration system on your RV..

90 Replies

holstein13
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
lawrosa wrote:

You read what the EPA says right?

Tell me what the benefits are?? There are none...

http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/fluoride.cfm

Fluoride is a by product of industry.. They have no way to dispose of it..

http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display.cfm?ID=19990303222823
I read the EPA link you provided and it said that there are dental benefits to fluoride. It also said that fluoride is naturally occurring in some systems. The link you provided also says it's harmful in excess concentrations. It doesn't look like the EPA link you provided supports your position that normal fluoride concentrations are harmful or poisonous.

I went ahead and read the second link you provided as well which is on a site "Dedicated to Natural Health." That should tell you a little about the objectivity of that site. The article is very short on links to actual studies on Fluorine.

So I found a more scientific article here that talks about fluoride. Looks like it is definitely toxic in high concentrations and they've lowered the level of fluoride in public waters for 2015. They still say it's safe in lower concentrations and they believe it is effective for dental benefits. But the issue doesn't look very conclusive to me on that article.

Perhaps you are right and they shouldn't add fluoride, but it doesn't look super dangerous either.
lawrosa
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
myredracer wrote:

Installing a filter outside with carbon in it is not a good idea, as you are removing chlorine and leaving the piping system inside unprotected.

So all people on well should be sick from bacteria? There is no chlorine in well water..

Id rather not drink chlorine. IMO its done its job in the city water lines up to a carbon filter. After that what bacteria will be in your pipes if it was already killed by the chlorine?

Does that make sense?

I do agree that chlorine disinfection pros for health and killing of bacteria outweighs the cons.

But it should be removed before consumption or bathing..

Disinfectant byproducts here..

EPA
lawrosa
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
holstein13 wrote:
lawrosa wrote:

To bad you cant get the poisonous fluoride out of our nations drinking water.. ( Except with RO)
I have to believe that if the fluoride was actually poisonous in the quantities present, it would not be allowed in the water. I'm certain the benefits outweigh the costs, otherwise, no public water utility would do it.

You read what the EPA says right?

Tell me what the benefits are?? There are none...

http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/fluoride.cfm

Fluoride is a by product of industry.. They have no way to dispose of it..

http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display.cfm?ID=19990303222823
GMandJM
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
myredracer wrote:
... I installed 4-stage filtration under our kitchen sink (takes up little space) - 5 micron sediment filtration followed by a 0.9 mic. ceramic cartridge and 0.2 micron "ultra-filtration" cartridge...

Nice system.

From right to left in your photo is 0.2, then 0.9 ceramic then 5 micron? What's the smallest canister?

Or am I looking at it backwards? Which way is the flow?
myredracer
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2015
Another good reason to use filtration is shown in the photo below which is the filter screen on our city water inlet after the first camping trip out in April. Chlorine concentration levels dissipate over time. What happens with CGs, is that the water in the lines all over the CG stagnates over the winter and biological matter can grow in them which is what happened in our case. Who wants to ingest that carp?? Ugh. I installed 4-stage filtration under our kitchen sink (takes up little space) - 5 micron sediment filtration followed by a 0.9 mic. ceramic cartridge and 0.2 micron "ultra-filtration" cartridge.

Routine maintenance of CGs should include flushing all their lines before the start of the season. After finding this, I called the local water district and they said they would go talk to the CG (again, as this was not the first time) and on the next trip to the CG saw the sign on the way in.

A pleated filter is a really poor choice as bacteria love to grow in them. The best choice is a string-wound polyester filter which do not promote bacterial growth. Installing a filter outside with carbon in it is not a good idea, as you are removing chlorine and leaving the piping system inside unprotected. Use a POU filter at kitchen sink ofr drinking water. KDF in a filter does not kill bacteria passing through the water, it only reduces bacterial growth on the filter itself. 100 microns for removing sediment is very coarse and not very helpful. 5 - 10 microns is good. Small filter cartridges plug up quickly and a 10" whole house housing/filter is a good choice and can be used outdoors or mounted inside. Chlorine does NOT kill all pathogens like Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Only buy an NSF certified filter as performance claims can be exaggerated and when looking at microns, go by the absolute rating, not nominal.
holstein13
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
lawrosa wrote:

To bad you cant get the poisonous fluoride out of our nations drinking water.. ( Except with RO)
I have to believe that if the fluoride was actually poisonous in the quantities present, it would not be allowed in the water. I'm certain the benefits outweigh the costs, otherwise, no public water utility would do it.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jul 21, 2015
TechWriter wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
TechWriter wrote:

In an RV you can run that RO wastewater line directly back into your water holding tank -- no noise, no wasted water.

I like that idea of no wasted water, but wouldn't that increase the contaminants in the water in the holding tank?

Yep, that's why you only use it for showers & washing dishes. And, sooner or later you'll have to refill the water tank with fresh water.
Good plan.
TechWriter
Explorer
Jul 21, 2015
fj12ryder wrote:
TechWriter wrote:

In an RV you can run that RO wastewater line directly back into your water holding tank -- no noise, no wasted water.

I like that idea of no wasted water, but wouldn't that increase the contaminants in the water in the holding tank?

Yep, that's why you only use it for showers & washing dishes. And, sooner or later you'll have to refill the water tank with fresh water.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jul 21, 2015
TechWriter wrote:
coolmom42 wrote:
Yes it can drive you nuts. I work in a lab with a RO system that drains the waste water into a sink. It comes on every few hours automatically to flush the membrane, regardless of use. It's pretty weird to suddenly hear water running when you didn't turn anything on. Took me a while to get used to it.

In an RV you can run that RO wastewater line directly back into your water holding tank -- no noise, no wasted water.
I like that idea of no wasted water, but wouldn't that increase the contaminants in the water in the holding tank?
TechWriter
Explorer
Jul 21, 2015
coolmom42 wrote:
Yes it can drive you nuts. I work in a lab with a RO system that drains the waste water into a sink. It comes on every few hours automatically to flush the membrane, regardless of use. It's pretty weird to suddenly hear water running when you didn't turn anything on. Took me a while to get used to it.

In an RV you can run that RO wastewater line directly back into your water holding tank -- no noise, no wasted water.