Filling the water tank at home

[swimmer_spe]

We used to live where we had city water. We have since moved and now draw our water for our home from a lake. It is perfectly safe and clean, however, some sediment might get through and there can be discolouration. While that doesn't bother me at home, I worry about what I put in my RV tank.

Would you suggest filling it at home or at the campground?

[Mike134]

valhalla360 wrote:

Mike134 wrote:
I remember my first trip to the boundary waters canoe area in Minnesota.
Us city kids were stunned when the outfitter told us to drink the lake water no filter needed.

I must say we had no issues.

Works great...until it doesn't.

Are you related to Glum from the book Gulliver's Travels? Asking for a friend.

[MNRon]

Used to drink water straight from lakes in BWCA in late ‘70’s (took from below surface)…but by early 2000’s it was recommended to filter it before use. Backpack filters are a pain to use, but we never got sick…which would be more of a pain.

I too am a little surprised about lake source for drinking water

[agesilaus]

Didn't Minnesota have a big outbreak ofCryptosporosis?

When consumed in contaminated water, the microscopic parasite Cryptosporidium can cause symptoms of stomach cramps, diarrhea and fever. Now, researchers reporting in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology have detected evidence of the parasite in about 40 percent of surveyed wells in public water systems in Minnesota -- even wells not influenced by surface water. The team emphasizes that they don't know whether the parasite levels are high enough to actually cause health concerns.

or Giardia:

Surface Water. Cysts have been found all months of the year in surface waters from the Arctic to thetropics in even the most pristine of surface waters. Occasionally, seasonal variations are reported. Cyst levelsare generally higher in rivers or streams influenced by agricultural (e.g., cattle or dairy farming) or residential(e.g., sewage discharges) activities. Cysts occur in surface waters throughout the year. In North America, levelsare generally higher in the late summer to early winter. Generally, no relationship is seen between cyst levelsand bacterial indicators of water contamination. In the United States, levels of Giardia in water are somewhatlower than Cryptosporidium; in Canada, surveys have found higher levels of Giardia than Cryptosporidium.

These are the reason hikers care Life Straws or other water treatment devices with them. Even the old iodine pills.

[stevenal]

Mike134 wrote:
I remember my first trip to the boundary waters canoe area in Minnesota.
Us city kids were stunned when the outfitter told us to drink the lake water no filter needed.

I must say we had no issues.

And I recall portaging around the beaver dams there as a youth. Ever here of beaver fever (giardia)? We also drank the water; after treating it.

[valhalla360]

Mike134 wrote:
I remember my first trip to the boundary waters canoe area in Minnesota.
Us city kids were stunned when the outfitter told us to drink the lake water no filter needed.

I must say we had no issues.

Works great...until it doesn't.

[valhalla360]

wildtoad wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Use a in line filter on the fill hose. I assume this lake water has been checked by the county health dept. It seems to be an unusual water source.

.

Many people who live on lakes pull water from them for both irrigation and household use. To your point, having the water tested periodically is a good idea. The same holds true for the millions of households the get their drinking water from a well. One should always use a filter at CG’s regardless of the water source. Never know when a water line may break.

Well water is wildly different from lake water.

The well actually functions as a filtration system. Any water that makes it to the well pump has filtered thru 30 or more feet of soil. There will typically be a test when the well is first put in (if it filters thru a layer of heavy metal that ain't good)...but after that, there is little benefit to further testing.

Pulling from a lake, guess where deer and bear poop washes after a rain? Plus you have fish, snails and all kinds of microbes. The water quality can change drastically over the course of the year. After a storm or spring snow melt can introduce significant amounts of contaminants. Hot weather can grow algae and other microbes.

If the water is actually safe, a simple sediment filter on the fill hose will do the trick for any residual sediment.

[Mike134]

I remember my first trip to the boundary waters canoe area in Minnesota.
Us city kids were stunned when the outfitter told us to drink the lake water no filter needed.

I must say we had no issues.

[Sagebrush]

Just filter it. All you need is a standard sediment filter, add a drinking water filter inline if you want more filtration. I'm sure its better than many City water taps! I went to homedepot and bought two generic water filter canisters for my RV and added brass garden hose fittings on each side and I needed a brass nipple between the canisters. They also had premade units for more than double the cost. I was on some well water with sediment at the time. One sediment filter and one charcoal block drinking water filter on my out side water hose. Kept my tank very clean.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Filtrete-Standard-Capacity-Whole-House-Pre-Filtration-Sump-System-Drop-I...

[agesilaus]

I saw one brand of particulate filter on a vlog that could be flushed out and reused but don't recall the name and could not find it on Amazon when I did know the name.

[swimmer_spe]

wildtoad wrote:
If you’re worried about sediment get a good filter that takes out small sediment. Personally I’d put a whole house filter between the well pump and the house. Sediment won’t do good things to ice makers, water heaters, and so on. They are very cheap and effective.

Lake water, not well water. We have fine filters, but they do clog and it is at that point that we get some sediment. It tells me it is time to change the filters.

I know, we had to replace the HWT due to high sediment build up. I flush it out frequently. I just don't want that problem with my RV tank.

[swimmer_spe]

agesilaus wrote:
Use a in line filter on the fill hose. I assume this lake water has been checked by the county health dept. It seems to be an unusual water source.

We checked it as part of the sale of the house in the winter. It is completely safe.

[agesilaus]

wildtoad wrote:

agesilaus wrote:
Use a in line filter on the fill hose. I assume this lake water has been checked by the county health dept. It seems to be an unusual water source.

.

Many people who live on lakes pull water from them for both irrigation and household use. To your point, having the water tested periodically is a good idea. The same holds true for the millions of households the get their drinking water from a well. One should always use a filter at CG’s regardless of the water source. Never know when a water line may break.

Well no, it is by no means the same as a well. For background, I wqent to Environmental Engineering school, was the Technical Director of a environmental laboratory. And we underwent frequent inspections by both the state DEP and the USEPA.

A well is not so easily contaminated, a lake on the other hand is open and who knows what is going into the water. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are frequently found in open water, lakes and rivers. Depending on the state DEP and laws you probably are required to have the local county come by and inspect the water source as well as test the water. And to get a permit. Frankly I'm just not familiar in detail to what inspections and what frequency those inspections would be because I've never seen an open lake used as a water source for a home. But on the other hand if the home owner is happy then who am I to complain?

[wildtoad]

agesilaus wrote:
Use a in line filter on the fill hose. I assume this lake water has been checked by the county health dept. It seems to be an unusual water source.

.

Many people who live on lakes pull water from them for both irrigation and household use. To your point, having the water tested periodically is a good idea. The same holds true for the millions of households the get their drinking water from a well. One should always use a filter at CG’s regardless of the water source. Never know when a water line may break.

[wildtoad]

If you’re worried about sediment get a good filter that takes out small sediment. Personally I’d put a whole house filter between the well pump and the house. Sediment won’t do good things to ice makers, water heaters, and so on. They are very cheap and effective.

[agesilaus]

Use a in line filter on the fill hose. I assume this lake water has been checked by the county health dept. It seems to be an unusual water source.