Best Way To Treat/Filter Campground Well Water???

[darleyhavidson]

I have a seasonal camping spot. The well water the campground uses is not treated. Consequently, bacteria from the well water likes to take root in the water heater and/or water lines and I get a wonderful rotten egg (sulfur) smell.

Other than sanitizing the water heater and pipes initially, how can I eliminate the bacteria that causes the sulfur smell?

I was looking at UV filters, but I have no experience with them.

Any practical advice or experience would be appreciated.

[lawrosa]

What campground is it so I know not to go there!!!!!! lol

[johnhicks]

I think that if you're not willing to become the licensed water-well guy you should consider moving on. Or become the licensed water-well guy and trade for free camping.

Been there done that, both of them

[darleyhavidson]

lawrosa wrote:


The campground only needs to shock the well at the start of the season... They probably are not doing that or dont know how..

https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/resource/how-to-guides/how-to-shock-chlorinate-sanitize-wells/

I have no doubt this is the root cause. The campground has only been open for 1 year. Steep learning curve I assume...

[lawrosa]

wa8yxm wrote:
There are many technologies to filter and/or treat water.

For Bacteria an "Ultra Violet" treatment will take care of most of 'em. Please do not ask me more as this is an area I have never studied.

Carbon filters take care of most taste/odor issues but if you have high Sulfur or high iron you may need special filters.

Micron filters (The smaller the better) may also stop bacteria but they also reduce pressure.

I would have the well water tested and ask the lab to suggest filtering.

The campground only needs to shock the well at the start of the season... They probably are not doing that or dont know how..

https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/resource/how-to-guides/how-to-shock-chlorinate-sanitize-wells/

[wa8yxm]

There are many technologies to filter and/or treat water.

For Bacteria an "Ultra Violet" treatment will take care of most of 'em. Please do not ask me more as this is an area I have never studied.

Carbon filters take care of most taste/odor issues but if you have high Sulfur or high iron you may need special filters.

Micron filters (The smaller the better) may also stop bacteria but they also reduce pressure.

I would have the well water tested and ask the lab to suggest filtering.

[lawrosa]

ScottG wrote:

darleyhavidson wrote:

naturist wrote:
My Master's degree is in water/waste water chemistry/civil engineering.

There is no practical way to ELIMINATE those water supply bacteria. No water system on the planet (that operates at reasonable cost) can do it. You can't either.

My suggestion to you is this: sanitize your RV water system a couple times a year, and run lots of water through it.

Use either chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide (my preferred way) to sanitize, then use water freely. The smell develops when the water stagnates. It is a product of the anaerobic bacteria, perfectly normal, and to be expected. It will develop faster in water from a well or spring that is not treated with chlorine, partly because the chlorine knocks down (but does NOT sterilize) the bacteria level, and partly because the chlorine is an oxidizing agent that removes the sulfur.

Thanks for the information. What method do you use when sanitizing with Hydrogen Peroxide? What concentrate of Hydrogen Peroxide do you use?

I'm curious about using Hydrogen peroxide as well. I would think it would have to be used full strength?

If your treating with bleach or peroxide its a one time sanitize deal usually to treat the water heater and rid it of the iron bacteria. It will not last long if the water quality is bat. It will only come back.

If you change the anode it will need to be of a zinc design. Mixed with aluminum..

Goog luck finding one for an RV... It may or may not fix the smell issue. And you sacrifice that the anode will sacrifice itself at the expense of the tank eating away...

Only steel tank water heaters have anodes. The aluminum tanks do not need an anode nor should you add one..

You should always use the factory magnesium rod for the suburban heaters..

Watch this..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcxHIFKLVbc

[darleyhavidson]

lawrosa wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
The cause of the smell is iron bacteria. Replacing the anode rod will not solve the problem. The only way the rectify the problem in the short term is have the campground shock chlorinate the well.
BTW - Iron bacteria is not a health concern, just a nuisance.

Ditto. As I stated in my post above. But it will cause the sulfer smell.

As stated your best off just using the fresh water tank onboard.

Fill tank and some bleach. Look for tables on how much. You dont need a lot.

It may be a pain but this is how we treat the homes with same conditions.Bleach injection.

Youll have to continually fill the tank as you use it to empty.

Try that and see if your issues go away.

Also use the cheap camco carbon filters from walmart to fill the tank..

2 packs should be around 20 bucks.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-TastePURE-Water-Filter-KDF-2-Pack-40045/205518952


A more permanent solution would be to get some sort of inline pool chlorinator to put inline with the outside water line.

Example here.

http://www.vitasalus.net/inline-chlorinator-chlorine-feeder-system


And then put one of those tanks in the rv that reduce pump run time. This will be used as the mixing tank.. ( Accumulator)

But don't use the small ones they sell for rv's. Install a 2.5-5 gallon potable water expansion tank. After All that's all what those expensive units are that you but for rv';s.

Exp tank install shown here.

http://wannabrv.akom.net/archives/12-RV-Expansion-Tank-Installation-in-the-trailer.html

I dont have a PHD or masters degree like the poster above, but I am a plumber some 30 plus years.

Its the same as treating pool water. Infact my pool after adjusted for 2ppm chlorine ( Chlorine is sodium hypochlorite which is same as bleach) alkalinity and PH can be drinkable and a better standard then what comes out of city taps...

I treat my pool with bleach, baking soda for alkalinity, and borax 20 mule team for PH adjustment.

Thanks for the links. I will give them a look and see if the methods you outlined are feasible for my situation. Thanks again.

[ScottG]

darleyhavidson wrote:

naturist wrote:
My Master's degree is in water/waste water chemistry/civil engineering.

There is no practical way to ELIMINATE those water supply bacteria. No water system on the planet (that operates at reasonable cost) can do it. You can't either.

My suggestion to you is this: sanitize your RV water system a couple times a year, and run lots of water through it.

Use either chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide (my preferred way) to sanitize, then use water freely. The smell develops when the water stagnates. It is a product of the anaerobic bacteria, perfectly normal, and to be expected. It will develop faster in water from a well or spring that is not treated with chlorine, partly because the chlorine knocks down (but does NOT sterilize) the bacteria level, and partly because the chlorine is an oxidizing agent that removes the sulfur.

Thanks for the information. What method do you use when sanitizing with Hydrogen Peroxide? What concentrate of Hydrogen Peroxide do you use?

I'm curious about using Hydrogen peroxide as well. I would think it would have to be used full strength?

[lawrosa]

Boon Docker wrote:
The cause of the smell is iron bacteria. Replacing the anode rod will not solve the problem. The only way the rectify the problem in the short term is have the campground shock chlorinate the well.
BTW - Iron bacteria is not a health concern, just a nuisance.

Ditto. As I stated in my post above. But it will cause the sulfer smell.

As stated your best off just using the fresh water tank onboard.

Fill tank and some bleach. Look for tables on how much. You dont need a lot.

It may be a pain but this is how we treat the homes with same conditions.Bleach injection.

Youll have to continually fill the tank as you use it to empty.

Try that and see if your issues go away.

Also use the cheap camco carbon filters from walmart to fill the tank..

2 packs should be around 20 bucks.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-TastePURE-Water-Filter-KDF-2-Pack-40045/205518952


A more permanent solution would be to get some sort of inline pool chlorinator to put inline with the outside water line.

Example here.

http://www.vitasalus.net/inline-chlorinator-chlorine-feeder-system


And then put one of those tanks in the rv that reduce pump run time. This will be used as the mixing tank.. ( Accumulator)

But don't use the small ones they sell for rv's. Install a 2.5-5 gallon potable water expansion tank. After All that's all what those expensive units are that you but for rv';s.

Exp tank install shown here.

http://wannabrv.akom.net/archives/12-RV-Expansion-Tank-Installation-in-the-trailer.html

I dont have a PHD or masters degree like the poster above, but I am a plumber some 30 plus years.

Its the same as treating pool water. Infact my pool after adjusted for 2ppm chlorine ( Chlorine is sodium hypochlorite which is same as bleach) alkalinity and PH can be drinkable and a better standard then what comes out of city taps...

I treat my pool with bleach, baking soda for alkalinity, and borax 20 mule team for PH adjustment.

[darleyhavidson]

naturist wrote:
My Master's degree is in water/waste water chemistry/civil engineering.

There is no practical way to ELIMINATE those water supply bacteria. No water system on the planet (that operates at reasonable cost) can do it. You can't either.

My suggestion to you is this: sanitize your RV water system a couple times a year, and run lots of water through it.

Use either chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide (my preferred way) to sanitize, then use water freely. The smell develops when the water stagnates. It is a product of the anaerobic bacteria, perfectly normal, and to be expected. It will develop faster in water from a well or spring that is not treated with chlorine, partly because the chlorine knocks down (but does NOT sterilize) the bacteria level, and partly because the chlorine is an oxidizing agent that removes the sulfur.

Thanks for the information. What method do you use when sanitizing with Hydrogen Peroxide? What concentrate of Hydrogen Peroxide do you use?

[Boon_Docker]

Removed - double post

[Boon_Docker]

The cause of the smell is more than likely iron bacteria. Replacing the anode rod will not solve the problem. The only way the rectify the problem in the short term is have the campground shock chlorinate the well.
BTW - Iron bacteria is not a health concern, just a nuisance.

[naturist]

My Master's degree is in water/waste water chemistry/civil engineering.

There is no practical way to ELIMINATE those water supply bacteria. No water system on the planet (that operates at reasonable cost) can do it. You can't either.

My suggestion to you is this: sanitize your RV water system a couple times a year, and run lots of water through it.

Use either chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide (my preferred way) to sanitize, then use water freely. The smell develops when the water stagnates. It is a product of the anaerobic bacteria, perfectly normal, and to be expected. It will develop faster in water from a well or spring that is not treated with chlorine, partly because the chlorine knocks down (but does NOT sterilize) the bacteria level, and partly because the chlorine is an oxidizing agent that removes the sulfur.

[path1]

Being a seasonal and you'll be using it a lot ask whoever what type of well. We had spot and state classified that water had to be tested twice a year. Tested by independent water testing place. Turned out water was great but only 8 miles away had high arsenic levels that requirement filtering. Think it was $70. So all depends on what you need filtering for.
You won't know for sure till you get it tested.

[mikebreeze]

A few years back I forgot to drain my hot water tank after about a month the hot water tank had a bad sulfur small. So now I drain my hot water tank after after every trip. I also add a small amount of bleach into the water line the first trip of the year to get the RV antifreeze taste/smell out of the water lines. This is after I drain the antifreeze and re-route the water through the water heater.

Since the OP is hooked up to water permanantly, I would drain the hot water tank once a week and then add a small amount of bleach into the incoming water line.