How often do yall sanitize your fresh water tank?

If the tank sits for more than few days without use, I'll sanitize. Bacti will grow in any stagnant water.

Just to give your all something more to talk about. If you have clear, or slightly clear, tank of water setting in the sun it will quite quickly start turning green. No matter how careful you are. But, a tank setting in the shade (like most RV tanks are) will not grow anything ; easily seen as green ; for a long time.

I know this because on the farm we have a off white colored 1500 gallon tank of water setting outside that we use for filling the farm sprayer. We can not leave that tank full for very long or it gets green and plugs up the filters on the sprayer. That tank is filled from a treated city water source.

My TT tank is sanitized once a year and sets under the bed. It never grows anything green in it. Yes, I can see it by lifting the bed and that happens fairly often.

rockhillmanor wrote:

If that is true, how come the annual water analysis that my water company does always shows a residual chlorine content in the water ??? Hint: Because there is some chlorine IN the water.

And that amount is NO where's even close or near a level to 'sanitize' a holding tank as one post stated, which is what the response was directed to.

But that is NOT WHAT WAS SAID.

You can't say "there is none" and then change it to "well there isn't much" later.

That residual level is there to protect (some) from a contamination after the treatment plant. It will do that too in your holding tank if it is not heavily contaminated to begin with.

If you KNOW that your tank has funky stuff growing in it already, that is a WHOLE different story.

rockhillmanor wrote:

If that is true, how come the annual water analysis that my water company does always shows a residual chlorine content in the water ??? Hint: Because there is some chlorine IN the water.

And that amount is NO where's even close or near a level to 'sanitize' a holding tank as one post stated, which is what the response was directed to.

City water is monitored and monitored and treated. CG well water is NOT.
CG water might be checked for chloroforms periodically but nothing else.
Many small CG's are privately owned and many are not required to perform monthly or annual testing. I've asked many of the CG's owners what the policy is and most do not.

IMHO water lines and spigots in CG's and their close proximity to numerous sewer lines? Nope. I don't drink the water whether it was filled into my tank or direct hookup.

I don't think water has any chloroform in it, otherwise we'd all be put to sleep. I'd guess he meant coliform. In 14 years we've never sanitized, always drank from the tank, and never had an illness break out on our trips or shortly thereafter.

If that is true, how come the annual water analysis that my water company does always shows a residual chlorine content in the water ??? Hint: Because there is some chlorine IN the water.

And that amount is NO where's even close or near a level to 'sanitize' a holding tank as one post stated, which is what the response was directed to.

City water is monitored and monitored and treated. CG well water is NOT.
CG water might be checked for chloroforms periodically but nothing else.
Many small CG's are privately owned and many are not required to perform monthly or annual testing. I've asked many of the CG's owners what the policy is and most do not.

IMHO water lines and spigots in CG's and their close proximity to numerous sewer lines? Nope. I don't drink the water whether it was filled into my tank or direct hookup.

Sam Spade wrote:

CavemanCharlie wrote:

Your forgetting about the water tower. It is not pressurized.

Not forgetting, just don't know. I'm not a municipal water supply expert. For all I know the tanks easily could be under a slight pressure.

And I know for sure that some systems have open reservoirs as part of their "system" but I'm pretty sure that those are ahead of the treatment/filtering process. ;-)

Talk to the city of Flint MI. about municipal drinking water problems! So much for home drinking water being safe!

beemerphile1 wrote:
We have always used the tank water for drinking and cooking, there is no reason not to.

I sanitize at the beginning of the season and again about mid season.

Same here!

My city water only smells like chlorine once a year during a big flush.
I believe they mostly use chloramine that does not dissipate out of the water.
Remember when you could leave water out for a few days or week to fill a fish tank? Not this stuff. Will kill a hearty goldfish in eight hours after leaving the water out to dissipate chlorine for a week. Just ask my DD. :(

rockhillmanor wrote:


City water may 'smell' like chlorine but it does NOT have bleach in it it to kill anything. It is added at the
filtration plant to kill bacteria BEFORE it is released to the city's water. All you get is the "smell"/"odor"
of chlorine trapped in the lines. Leave a glass of tap water on the counter and all the odor and the taste from
the odor of chlorine disappear within minutes.

One note about chlorine. It's doesn't really have a strong odor in water. But when it kills something in the water is gasses off.
So if there is a strong smell of chlorine it is likely all used up and more should be added. What you are describing rockhill is likely the chlorine off gassing, until it is gone. That is why there is no smell after a few mins. One disclaimer, I am no water or chlorine expert, I learned this from a course I took on spa water when I got my spa....

Sam Spade wrote:

SIGH. Someone always finds something to pick apart in every thread.

Sorry Sam. Truly meant no harm. I only wanted to pass on something I learned along the way! Wasn't intentionally trying to pick anything apart.

rockhillmanor wrote:

City water may 'smell' like chlorine but it does NOT have bleach in it it to kill anything.

A false assumption.

If that is true, how come the annual water analysis that my water company does always shows a residual chlorine content in the water ??? Hint: Because there is some chlorine IN the water.

And bleach is only one form of chlorine and is NOT the chemical that treatment plants use.