How long does fresh water stay fresh?

[CC-skipjack]

I haven't seen this bantered about or discussed, (couldn't find it in a search either), so here goes. I have never dry camped for more than a couple of days but anticipate doing a lot more of it. Assuming the fresh tank has been properly sanitized, how long will a tank full of fresh water remain potable, even in warm/hot temps?
I currently sanitize just in the spring but I only drink from bottled water at this point in time, so the sanitization is just to keep the water used for dishes, showers etc from getting skunky.

Do others haul along their drinking water in bottles or just drink from the fresh tank? I have no water filters in line at this time.

thanks for your input - Chuck

[TenOC]

All the water in the world is 4 Billion years old. . . . :B ...

To make it "fresh" simply shake it up in a bottle.

[DutchmenSport]

CC-skipjack wrote:
...
Do others haul along their drinking water in bottles or just drink from the fresh tank? ...

Ever since we've been tent camping, we "drink from the tank". Even tent camping, we had 6 gallon jugs of water we carried with us, always drunk from them, never sanitized, rinsed real good, but not sanitized.

1 pop-up and 3 travel trailers later and we still drink from the tank. We fill locally, where we're at and then run the on-board pump. I don't like leaving a hose hooked and water turned on, for (great anxiety) of over pressurizing my lines and causing damage. I know, they make regulators, but I'd rather just fill the tanks.

So yes, we drink, wash and cook from the on-board tank. We do bring a couple gallons of water from home, only for making coffee. This way, it always tastes the same.

[bukhrn]

CC-skipjack wrote:
I haven't seen this bantered about or discussed, (couldn't find it in a search either), so here goes. I have never dry camped for more than a couple of days but anticipate doing a lot more of it. Assuming the fresh tank has been properly sanitized, how long will a tank full of fresh water remain potable, even in warm/hot temps?
I currently sanitize just in the spring but I only drink from bottled water at this point in time, so the sanitization is just to keep the water used for dishes, showers etc from getting skunky.

Do others haul along their drinking water in bottles or just drink from the fresh tank? I have no water filters in line at this time.

thanks for your input - Chuck

Both, but then I have a whole house filter. Never got water from anywhere that wasn't drinkable.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

naturist wrote:
In another life I was a water/waste-water chemist. Question cannot be answered as asked. The reason: too many un-defined variables.

How long a given tank of water-fresh-from-the-spigot will remain potable depends on the source, treatments applied by the water supplier, condition and composition of the tank it is stored in, air quality in the area where it is being used, and other imponderables. The best answer I can give is that it'll suit you until it doesn't.

I sanitize my tank AT LEAST once each year by pouring a quart of grocery/pharmacy hydrogen peroxide into the fresh tank, filling it to the brim (in my case, 35 gallons of water), use that to fill the system and hot water tank, and leave it in there for a few days, then flush. We also only use that water to shower, wash dishes and such. Drinking/cooking water is always jugged water from home or purchased bottled water.

YMMV. And sorry I can't give you a better answer.

That's exactly what we do. Sanitize once a year, and use water from home or other "safe" source for drinking and cooking.

[CavemanCharlie]

I wonder if there is a cheap / easy way to test it ?

Obviously if it smells bad or looks green it's bad. And, if it has turned green you are going to need to do a really good job of cleaning the tank before using it again.

I use my camper almost every weekend. I try to get the tank as empty as possible but, there is always a few gallons in there from one weekend to the next. My tank is inside the TT under the couch so it never sees sunlight and i relatively climate controlled.

[hotbyte]

It’s fresh until it’s not.

[time2roll]

Water will stay fresh forever... until it is contaminated.

[toedtoes]

Cobra21 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
If it's city water (not well water) several months. In 40+ years of RVing with a water system we have never used bottled water but I will flush with some bleach once a year if the rig sits for 5-6 months and then fill with city water.

Times 2 on this theory!
Brian

X3.

I use chlorine granules to sanitize rather than straight bleach. I have no problem drinking from the tap at home or the fresh water tank in the RV.

[naturist]

In another life I was a water/waste-water chemist. Question cannot be answered as asked. The reason: too many un-defined variables.

How long a given tank of water-fresh-from-the-spigot will remain potable depends on the source, treatments applied by the water supplier, condition and composition of the tank it is stored in, air quality in the area where it is being used, and other imponderables. The best answer I can give is that it'll suit you until it doesn't.

I sanitize my tank AT LEAST once each year by pouring a quart of grocery/pharmacy hydrogen peroxide into the fresh tank, filling it to the brim (in my case, 35 gallons of water), use that to fill the system and hot water tank, and leave it in there for a few days, then flush. We also only use that water to shower, wash dishes and such. Drinking/cooking water is always jugged water from home or purchased bottled water.

YMMV. And sorry I can't give you a better answer.

[Cobra21]

Ivylog wrote:
If it's city water (not well water) several months. In 40+ years of RVing with a water system we have never used bottled water but I will flush with some bleach once a year if the rig sits for 5-6 months and then fill with city water.

Times 2 on this theory!
Brian

[RobWNY]

F-TROUP wrote:
I drain my fresh water tank after each outing, we use bottled water for drinking and coffee, water tank for everything else.

X2

[delwhjr]

BB_TX wrote:
There are additives available such as this to keep the water fresh. I have never tried one so can’t comment on how well they work.

The active ingredients in this are the same as the main ingredients in Oxi-Clean. Funny the second ingredient is Sodium bicarbonate, Upset stomach anyone:D

[2gypsies1]

We full-timed and traveled constantly and got our water at various places. In 16 years we never sanitized our tank and we drank and cooked from it. We also stayed mainly in public parks and a full summer to Alaska. During the 16 years and being in groups of full-timers around the campfire, I've never heard of anyone getting sick from their water. I've never read of anyone getting sick either. Public facilities where folks are getting their water wouldn't have bad water for people to get sick. It would be all over the news. We volunteered in public parks and know that their water was continually tested. They just wouldn't take the risk otherwise.

I will say that we used a good filter for the water going into the tank and we also had another filter at the kitchen faucet.

I would advise you to get a water filter. They aren't that expensive. Here's a great place to see and read all about the different kinds and give them a call. They are extremely helpful in answering your questions and advising what you might need.

https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

As a full-timer who always has at least 1/4 of the fresh water tank full - my process is to turn off the spigot and run on the water pump/ fresh water tank until it will not pump any more water. I do this on the first of the month, every month. Then add about 8-9 gallons of fresh water.

Many times I will fill the fresh water tank of the campground has low water pressure. My water pump provides a more consistent pressure/ flow for showers, etc.

Next week we will start a round of three straight weeks of Good Sam state rally’s. I’ll fill the water tank when we arrive at each on Sunday or Monday and run on the water tank all week. Should be close to traveling level by the end of the week.

[the_bear_II]

An old timer RV'er said he uses a bottle of cheap wine in the freshwater tank to freshen it up. Pours in the wine and adds a couple of gallons of water and then drives around to slosh the tank. Then drain and fill with water.