Keeping fresh water tank bacteria-free

[mfjensen]

I'm confused about how to keep the water in the fresh water tank from picking up bacteria/viruses -- such as the Legionaire's Disease that sitting water can develop.

I've seen the postings about running clorox through the system, rinsing then re-rinsings. Which sounds like a problem because where can you drain Clorox water? All the places I've stopped forbid it.

I've also had someone tell me that putting Sweet Water (?) in the tank eliminates any need for Clorox and is safe for all uses.

After 5 days of the "fresh" water being in the tank, my dogs have refused to drink it, so I don't believe that doing nothing is acceptable.

Advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you,

Marlene

[Gjac]

The only time I drain the tank is when it is winterized, otherwise I just fill with chlorinated water and use. After it sits all winter I will overfill and flush water out of over flow lines. Not sure if it removes any sediment or not, and yes I drink from the tank and use a green garden hose to fill it.

[2gypsies1]

In 16 years of full-timing and moving throughout the country constantly, we have never sanitized our tank. We get water from various sources and public campgrounds are always our first choice for stays - national, state, national forests, etc. We have also volunteered at these places and we know that water is constantly being tested to assure it's good. They wouldn't put so many people at risk. We don't buy water for drinking or cooking. We use what's onboard.

[Old-Biscuit]

I sanitized my fresh water tank and plumbing system......ONCE. When we first bought the rig to clean system out. Same thing I have done on every RV I have had in the past.

Water source comes from a municipality or from a well system that have been tested/treated so I don't concern myself with it. Just like I don't concern myself with the water coming into house or house plumbing.

I drain fresh water tank after a trip and fill it back up prior to a trip.
Use the water for everything....including drinking it.

[Jim_Shoe]

My fresh water tank is used for toilet and showers. For drinking, coffee, tooth brushing and cooking, I buy gallon jugs of distilled water as I go down the road. There's no "off" taste due to local sources. The outside of me is waterproof. BTW, its a LOT easier.

[ScottG]

We've always drank from our tanks in all our RV's over the last 30+ years. I sanitize once a year and have no problems what so ever. I can't imagine carrying 40 gallons on board and then toting water jugs too.
But what ever works for you.

[pasusan]

I'm with Fishinghat - I think I've "treated" my tank with chlorine only once or twice since we've had an RV (1977). We also bring drinking water from home that is filtered.

[PapPappy]

The amounts of chlorine in the tank are not going to bother a septic system, unless it is a true pro-biotic system. We sanitize our tank at home, in the driveway....no worse off than washing the car out there, since the small amount of chlorine in the tank isn't going to be very bothersome.

I've never tried the Hydrogen Peroxide as a neutralizer, but do know that there are other products out there that will help get rid of the "smell/taste", but I'd still want to use the bleach to sanitize the system.....not sure about vinegar as a sanitizer? It cleans well, but not sure if it would kill bacteria in a water system?

Tried and true sanitizing (and there is lots of information on sanitizing or de-winterizing the tanks.) so I'd just hit one of the YouTube videos or someething.

[brirene]

Check your manual. I'll bet it will give you sanitation instructions including measuring a fairly diluted amount of chlorine bleach into your system, circulating it, draining, and flushing. I drain it right in my gravel driveway without any damage. We're not talking a huge amount of bleach here, especially when diluted into your fw system.

[Bumpyroad]

rv2go wrote:
You could use Hydrogen Peroxide

I think that link is to a source where they are adding H2O2 to a small volume to be able to drink it. not to sanitize an entire tank of water. IIRC the HP you buy is about 4% strength. Pharmaceutical firms use a 30 % solution for surface sterilization. taking the 4% and diluting it 100 times gives you what? any RVer who says it works to sanitizing their tanks and water system probably didn't need sanitization in the first place.
bumpy

[ScottG]

Use the bleach at a rate of qtr. cup per 10 gallons - more will not do a better job. Let it set several hours or overnight. Then put in a 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide and drain. The H2O2 will immediately neutralize all the chlorine and the system is ready for use after a drain and refill. This waste solution will not hurt the CG's septic system because there's no chlorine left in it.
You should not have bacteria growing every few days unless it's already in there. If that's the case then the method I suggested will re-mediate it.
There are mixed thoughts in the industry about H2O2 alone being a sanitizer. So it's probably best to use bleach first.

[Fishinghat]

This subject has been beat to death here on the forum, but it is of great interest to just about everyone and there is no absolutely correct answer.

I just fill and flush with water from a municipal water source which has already been treated with chlorine. If the water has been in the tank for more than a few weeks, I drain, add a few gallons, drain, and then refill. We've been RVing for over 20 years and were boaters for over 25 years and never had a problem. (Our boat had a 60 gallon water tank that couldn't be drained but had to be pumped out. Still, never had a problem.)

Now, for taste reasons, we use bottled water for coffee and drinking.

If I were going to sanitize my coach's water tank, I'd use some "shock" that I use in our pool to kill bacteria that can grow when just normal amounts of chlorine is present. It is used about every two weeks or so. So, you can go to a pool supply place and buy a one lb bag of shock. Use a half teaspoon in your tank, let it sit for a few hours or a day, drain and refill. Shock has a very short life, like less than 24 hours. It will kill anything in the tank.

Now, is that necessary? I don't think so. The ancients used cisterns and didn't have access to chlorine. The key was keeping the tank dark. All of our RV tanks (and our boat tank) are designed to keep light out. That's the key.

Whatever you decide, good luck. As some have suggested, you can't be too safe, so do what you think is appropriate.

[rv2go]

You could use Hydrogen Peroxide

[GENECOP]

Marlene, twice a year I run a Vinegar solution through the fresh water system......