Community Forums

CharlieTwo · 08-15-2012, 08:00 PM

I'm going to be parking my Class A in a campground for most of the season. We will take a couple of trips a year but most of the time it will be at a camp ground spot we have rented. The water is from a well and is just fine but I wonder if I should empty the water tank after the weekend or if it is better to top it off? We disinfect the system a couple of times a year but we have used city water in it in the past and not well water.

cb1000rider · 08-15-2012, 08:09 PM

Charlie:
As someone who has dealt with a lot of water quality issues, I can tell you this:
It depends.

It'll depend on how clean your tanks are to start with, how well sealed they are against outside air, and what the initial quality of the well water is to begin with. It'll depend on the ambient temperature in your tank and the propensity of the organisms in your tank/water to grow under that temperature.

Well water can have coli-form in it, not necessarily unhealthy coli-form, but it's going to hard to find water out of the ground without any type of organism in it...

In terms of better/worse to leave it topped off, I don't think it'll make a difference. If you're going to leave it for a while, I'd go ahead and disinfect it and let it sit that way, leaving yourself a note to flush when you get back. You don't have to do the full disinfect, but I'd probably treat it with a bit of bleach once the tank is run down and simply flush when I go to use the rig.

You'll find people on here that leave city water for months and use it. I'm not one of them. City water typically has better treatment... And again - it really depends on how good the water is coming out of that well.

swampdog2 · 08-15-2012, 08:14 PM

perfect answer! i would do the same thing

frankdamp · 08-15-2012, 08:18 PM

With the majority of CG water, I don't think I'd let it sit for more than a week. We've taken our city water, which is among the top five nationwide for quality, on 2-week trips and it's been OK. We haven't used it any longer than that, usually because we've used it up! We use it exclusively for cooking and drinkng, using city water at the CG for other things, including the coffee maker and DW's teapot. if it's been boiled, it might taste a bit odd, but it won't put you in hospital.

It a bit of a PITA to go shut the city valve off so we can use the on-board potable when we want to, but it beats coming down with a water-borne bug from the CG water.

DonDee · 08-15-2012, 08:47 PM

Once upon a time I filled with water from an artesian well towards the end of my trip...Forgot about it until quite sometime later I noticed whitish stringy looking things in the glass I was drinking from. Didn't get sick but I learned from that.

Possum · 08-15-2012, 11:25 PM

If you are truly concerned about the water in you MH why not buy a .05 micron reverse osmosis / ultraviolet water purifier and pump into your tank through that gizmo. If the water going into the potable tank is as clean as these units make water you should not have a problem anywhere.

I have seen these units installed in the kitchen sink supply but I think it prudent to filter totally before your storage tank and insure all you water is clean and healthy.

MaxTurner1 · 08-16-2012, 04:35 PM

I use the simplest system, but would like opinions on how safe the boss and I am. I use a Culigan canister filter before water enters the coach. (always with a nice white filter inside) and add about a third cup of Clorox. The water smells a little more chlorinated, but not bad. When hooked up at a CG, I use the same pre-coach filter and there is another, even better under the kitchen sink. It also feeds the ice maker. Seems most CG water is from their well. At least some have their own treatment plants. Am I safe?

baraff · 08-16-2012, 04:51 PM

Has anyone here ever really gotten sick from bad water in their tank? I would think employing some basic common sense measures would ensure the possibility is nil.
When we store our rig, I drain everything, heater tank, lines, water tank, faucets. If there is any water left in the system it's such a miniscule amount that I can't believe the baddies could multiply fast enough to cause a problem, especially if chlorinated city water is used.
Disinfect the system at the beginning of the season, drain everything and I don't think you'll ever have a problem.
I would not leave untreated well water sitting for more than a few days though.

historyljc · 08-16-2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cb1000rider

Charlie:
As someone who has dealt with a lot of water quality issues, I can tell you this:
It depends.

It'll depend on how clean your tanks are to start with, how well sealed they are against outside air, and what the initial quality of the well water is to begin with. It'll depend on the ambient temperature in your tank and the propensity of the organisms in your tank/water to grow under that temperature.

Well water can have coli-form in it, not necessarily unhealthy coli-form, but it's going to hard to find water out of the ground without any type of organism in it...

In terms of better/worse to leave it topped off, I don't think it'll make a difference. If you're going to leave it for a while, I'd go ahead and disinfect it and let it sit that way, leaving yourself a note to flush when you get back. You don't have to do the full disinfect, but I'd probably treat it with a bit of bleach once the tank is run down and simply flush when I go to use the rig.

You'll find people on here that leave city water for months and use it. I'm not one of them. City water typically has better treatment... And again - it really depends on how good the water is coming out of that well.

For what's worth, I agree.

jzick · 08-16-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

The water is from a well and is just fine but I wonder if I should empty the water tank after the weekend or if it is better to top it off?

IMO, most people who respond to questions like this are way too paranoid about water quality from a fresh water tank. If it were me, I would fill the tank and use it. Since you have concerns, however, you should probably empty the tank between visits. Life is too short to have an uncertainty nagging at you when you are trying to relax.

CharlieTwo · 08-16-2012, 06:50 PM

cb1000rider, thanks. I will give that a try.
Possum, I'm going to try to find one of those osmosis filters for next year. I imagine they cost a fair chunk of change.
The reason I am concerned is that the permanent campers at our grounds, don't drink the water. I don't think they are treating their tanks at all but the water passes the mandatory tests. We have had no problems with drinking the water on one or two week stays but the MH will sit there until winter and most of next summer. I appreciate all of the responses. thanks

Possum · 08-17-2012, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieTwo

cb1000rider, thanks. I will give that a try.
Possum, I'm going to try to find one of those osmosis filters for next year. I imagine they cost a fair chunk of change.

They are available up this side of the border at DIY stores and retail for between $300 & $500 per system. The bigger the filtering system the more costly.

Quote:

The reason I am concerned is that the permanent campers at our grounds, don't drink the water. I don't think they are treating their tanks at all but the water passes the mandatory tests. We have had no problems with drinking the water on one or two week stays but the MH will sit there until winter and most of next summer. I appreciate all of the responses. thanks

I used to sell these systems when I worked part time at Canadian Tire here in Port Alberni. I never use them as I have a great immune system and we just fill our tanks from the taps available to us. I taste sample the water at campgrounds before I hook the hoses up; no bad taste then the water is used to top the potable water tank aboard.

I detest funny tasting water because I drink so much of the stuff so I want my tank to be as clean as possible. 99% of the CGs one encounters has perfectly safe water. About 30% have safe but funny tasting water. I try not to put funny tasting water into our MH tanks.

Jack R · 08-17-2012, 01:17 AM

When you open you tap and it is clear drink it. If it's yellow don't drink and check you plumbing.

jack

Brockx · 08-17-2012, 04:55 AM

Being new and purchasing a used coach I made an early decision to carry bottled water for drinking. The coach has a pretty good filtered tap in the kitchen which we use for coffee and cooking. Any direct (unheated) consumption comes from a bottle including the dog's water.