S Davis wrote:
If you don't you should, especially if you shower with the water.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionnaires%27_disease
I had Legionnaire's in March 2006. After the fact, Dr's told me I was within 4 hours of death. It took them several days to figure out what I had. At one point they had 4 different antibiotics feeding me intravenous. Only after they did a biopsy on my lung did they finally identify what it was. Once on the right treatment, it started clearing up. I was quarantined for days, felt like a pin-cushion from all the needles and had tubs and wires running everwhere from me.
The CDC had to be notified, and through the entire ordeal, my wife back tracked our steps for the previous 3 weeks, and everywhere we'd been had to be notified, and every place had to inspected for the disease. We still think it originated form a motel in Elkhart, Indiana when we used the Hot Tub. I vividly remember the water in the tub was extremely merky, there was vapor in the air, and there was a very stale odor. We were there for a tour of the Dutchmen RV factory. It was March, snow on the ground about a foot deep. No one camping them.
The CDC checked water towers, air conditioners, and evaporation units. The building I work for is very large (4000 people have worked in that building in the past). Every inch of that building was inspected. And yes, they have evaporation towers and foggy mist coming from it all the time.
Ever since, I've been keenly atuned to my lungs. I've lost (and still have lost) about 1/4 capacity from both lungs because of this. I'm tried various breathing exercises over the years to expand my lungs, and so far, well, there's just part of my lungs that don't work. Under normal conditions, I never think about it. But when I get active and begin exerting myself, I feel like I'm suffocating again. I can't get enough air fast enough. I've never felt light headed or dizzy or anything, but sometimes it takes all I can to catch my breath.
I still split fire wood with an axe, climb ladders, and roof houses (I was on my roof today replacing shingles from a recent wind storm). I shovel snow, dirt, and gravel. I play with my grandkids, but when the activity requires more oxygen than I can give it, I just have to stop.
I play the harmonica, and after the Legionnaire's hit me, in 2006, it wasn't until about 2 years ago I finally had enough expansion in my lungs I could begin playing it again. But even with that, I still get winded.
I'm saying all this for one simple reason ... you don't get Legionnaires from RV water systems.
Edit:
The air conditioner in your camper has more of a chance to give you Legionnaire than your water system because of all the dampness and evaporation that goes on.
