How long to keep potable water in holding tank

[jacqui583]

Hi folks.

We will be camping four weeks from now at an electric-only campground (no water hookup). The water quality is questionable where the trailer will be stored until then so I filled the holding tank today with good water while I had that option. How long will a full tank of water remain safe to drink sitting still? Was this a bad idea? And should I drain the hot water tank in the meantime? (it is currently full from camping this week). I have heard that it can get stinky.

Thanks.

[2gypsies1]

Full-timers don't have the option of filling at home. We full-timed 16 years and boondocked in the boonies the majority of time or used public park campgrounds. We never sanitized our tank. We got our water from all kinds of sources. We had a good filter from RV Filter Store online for our incoming water and a filter at the kitchen sink for taste. The water we drank and cooked with came from our water tank. We didn't buy water. No issues.

[4x4van]

Never ceases to amaze me how many people are afraid of using their onboard water supply. I've owned 3 RVs over the past 30 years, all 3 purchased used. I "think" I may have sanitized (using bleach) my last RV once in the 15 years I owned it, but I could be mistaken.

Always fill up at home (city water system), use that water when camping, refill if necessary at the campground, and let whatever's left in the tank sit when I return home until topping off again sometime before the next trip, anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Yes, I use it for washing, cooking, and even drinking. I've never had any odor or taste problems, other than a bit of "plasticky" taste if it's been sitting longer than 4 weeks, and it pretty much dissipates when I refill again.

Now, admittedly, I'm on city water at home, not well water, and I do understand that some people live in an area that has smelly or bad tasting water...but I don't worry about the source of campground water when I refill while camping as long as it smells/tastes OK. 56 years old and still kickin', so...

[wa8yxm]

Well depending on where you "Tank up" several months is ok. CITY Water (if you have city water at home) is often chlorinated. also there is a formula for adding bleach to well water to help it last longer. Or Fresh Water tablets from RV store. (Formula on bottle on the tab's. I DO NOT KNOW IT for either one.

My story
Due to over chlorination in the place I winter camp (Even filtered 2x I can taste it) I took a hint from my Fish Tank days.. (Fill a bucket and let it set a while) I fill my 80 gallon tank and use it. The water only needs sit for a few minutes for the blech level to drop to the point where I can't taste it.

And here in MI I have a "Questionable" and a "Good and tested daily" park (Where I am now) so I take on water here and use tanked at the other park

Longest I've gone doing it this way
Tanked up the day BEFORE halloween last year. Drove to Tekonsha. then drove the towe dup to Marshall (Michigan towns) to get a new converter 238 dollars back to Tekonsha to install it and on to South Carolina.. Where on Thanksgiving morning I ran out of water.

Tanked up for the first time in 4 years off the Pioneer Water District Water and went through 80 gallons in a week (Well. that happens when you change water 🙂

[Optimistic_Para]

This is one of those things where everybody has an opinion, but how many people have actually sent a sample of their well or municipal water out for testing, then filled their water tank, then sent a sample from their tank out for testing after letting it sit for a couple of months?

I'll bet there's a hell of a difference. Question is, is it enough of a difference to be dangerous?

[myredracer]

Chlorine dissipates over time. How good is your city water to start with (ever tested it)? It takes just one rogue bacterial cell to multiply. Warmer outdoor temps. can accelerate bacterial growth. How well is your holding tank and piping sanitized? If it were me, I'd use bottled water for drinking only. Filtration is an option if you use the right type of cartridges with max. 1 micron filtration (absolute rating, not nominal). Filtration can be point of use (POU) at the kitchen counter.

[TenOC]

I drink tap water all the time -- a few germs keep you strong. My DD only drinks bottle water -- She thinks one germ will kill you.

[Optimistic_Para]

FWIW, Truck Camper Magazine did an article on hurricane preparedness for truck camper owners. It's here:

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/weekly-blog/7-reader-tips-hurricane-preparedness/?singlepage=1

Note the following:

*1. Don’t Fill Your Fresh Water Tank Until You Evacuate*

“Great advice, Gordon. I’m in the water supply business. One should
not keep fresh water tanks full between trips. Potable water is often
disinfected (usually with chlorine or chloramines), which has residual
disinfection capability of a week. After that, bacteria will begin to
regrow, which is not good.

For the purposes of an emergency evacuation vehicle, and assuming we
have a couple of days warning, one should keep fresh water tanks empty
until the general alert is published/broadcasted. Then fill the tank at that time.

This advice also holds true during normal camping expeditions when you
fill the tank and then plug into city water at campgrounds day after
day. Don’t allow the water in your tank to mature past a week.

[jerryjay11]

I too use the that Camco water fresh product and never have I had any bacteria problems and no stinky water either. I would never not treat water that is going to sit in my fresh tank for any period of time. It's better to have water that is treated then leave the tank empty because that's when bacteria can begin and would make it necessary to sanitize the water system more often.

[zigzagrv]

I use an ounce or two of THIS if the water sits for a while between trips. Too much and you begin to get a slight chlorine taste. I always run my drinking water through a Brita pitcher which removes the chlorine taste.

[hbrady]

I'm the same as most, sanitize system in spring and and don't drain until I winterize. When the camper sits for several weeks I do run the water once a week, mainly to keep traps from drying out. The one thing I'm super OCD about is the cleanliness of my hose I use to fill as well as the filler valve. I also flush both for a couple of minutes before filling the tank.

[Flapper]

If worried, you can chlorinate the water that is there - 1 teaspoon plain bleach for every five gallons. That's enough to knock down anything growing in it, and have it safe to use/drink. Water should have started out being pure/clean, and not siphoned in from some nearby stream...

"City" water in sealed containers should be replaced every 6 months. Since RV's aren't sealed, however....

[DutchmenSport]

How long can you keep water in a sealed bottle? RV tanks are not sealed though, but water is water. Water doesn't go bad. What does go bad is how quick bacteria grow in the tank, (or that sealed bottle of water). And that duration depends upon how pure the water is to start with, what kind of bacteria is already growing in the tank, and outside temperature. Warmer temperatures will cause bacteria growth quicker than cold temperatures.

So, really, its a question that only you can answer, based on your own tank, temperature, existing bacteria in your tank, and the purity of the water you put in to start with.

[cyntdon2010]

we never winterize, We Florida folks camp year around. we bathe and wash dishes and bring spring water for coffee and ice maker

[ScottG]

We keep our water tank full in case of earthquake. If we dont use any of it I will drain and refill (city water) every two weeks. I've never had any problem with water only two weeks old.