Do you drink the water from your fresh water tank?

[Bonron]

Yes me too. I filter at the faucet and then the whole coach filter does it again. Although, I think I’m growing a tail. 😁

[BAPotter]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Why not?
Been doing it for 64 years now. Plus I survived drinking out of the rubber garden hose too.

Have to agree with Mr D. I'm 73 and grew up in southwest florida. All any of us had to drink was well water and/or cistern water. I've traveled much of the caribbean and they also use is cistern water. Sanitize it occassionally and you'll be fine

[AndyinLex]

I don’t even drink the tap water at home much. Purely a taste issue for me though. We drink bottled spring water mostly. But I wouldn’t be afraid to drink the tank water if I needed to.

[Joels]

Full timing now 7 years. Double filter from ground water after leaving water run for 2 min before initial connection. Once in a while add 2oz chlorox to track 100gal and I've never had an issue. Whatever I ingest keeps my immune system active and healthy. Even refill my bottled water from extra filtered sink spigot and it comes out clearer than original bottle purchased water. Any doubts, have it tested. You'll be surprised how clean it is.

[Piros1]

I flush and sanitize it annually if it sets a lot I may do it more often but why would you not. No different than drinking water from your home or anywhere else. Probably as clean or cleaner than what you get at a restaurant.

I noticed one poster stated they bath and brush their teeth with it but don’t drink or cook with it. Why, once you have it in your mouth to tense with if there is an issue with it you already have it in your system.

[diddlyv]

Use my tank all the time, if worried about it is really easy to sanitize water system with a bit of bleach flush and fill with chlorinated city water. I often use a filter in campgrounds but unless you change that filter every time you hook up more chance of bacteria in filter than bacteria in your fresh water tank.

[bakntep]

Fulltimed for 9.5 years, and now travel a few months of the year. We have always filtered water going into our tank, then used tank water just as we would water at home. We work off the tank rather than park water so that the water in the tank is constantly cycled. Never an issue. I am morally opposed to bottled water - just look up the amount of plastic waste, a whole lot of it water bottles, circling around in our oceans!

[billmurphy]

We have camped in all the lower 48 and find good and bad water. At the good we load up. At the bad we use the tanks till we run out then Walmart. Last year i installed a small reverse osmosis system and use it for drinking/cooking. I much prefer the RO over Walmart. Wish i could fill the fresh tank with it.

[MDFiver]

Yes. We drink from it. We sanitize it regularly and don't let old water sit. Never understood why people don't want to drink from it. We also fill up old juice bottles with water from home for backup that we keep under the bed. We are strongly opposed to buying bottled water. Single use plastics are a threat to the planet.

[markarbogast]

So far I have never drank from it.

[helferdm]

I drink the water and use the ice. It's double-filtered (whole-house and refrigerator). Bottled water is a scam - municipal water is tested frequently and usually is as pure or purer than bottled, which is often (if you read the label) just filtered city water. Bleach your tank annually and you'll be fine.

[dtucker300]

Originally Posted by PS56

I've been RVing since 2006 and I've never drank from my RV's fresh water tank. I always used filtered water either from Walmart or a filtered water station for about .25/gal. I'm in the SW now and I'm guess I'm drinking 3/4 gal of water a day, plus coffee, soda, beer. Water is too important to my health to risk it.

What do you do?


https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criid/2013/286347/

Put a Reverse Osmosis unit on your tap or buy bottled water. You are right. Water is too important to risk your health. However, as long as you sanitize your freshwater tank you should be okay, especially for cooking.

[tmoody1958]

Maintaining RV Freshwater with Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) and Sodium Dichlor

CONCERN FOR WATER QUALITY

If you are concerned about drinking water from your RV freshwater tank or introducing bacteria into your RV freshwater tank from unchlorinated water at a campground, you should add a small amount of chlorine to your freshwater tank.

A chlorine residual of 1.0 to 2.0 parts-per-million (PPM) is recommended to maintain water for potable water usage. [9] Chlorinated city water has a chlorine residual of 0.5 to 2.0 PPM [9], which is the range that balances disinfection efficacy and reasonable taste.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends not exceeding 2.0 PPM of free chlorine residual to ensure water does not have an unpleasant odor or taste. [6]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires treated tap water to have a detectable level of chlorine to help prevent contamination. [3] The Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) for chlorine is 4 PPM. The allowable chlorine levels in drinking water up to 4 PPM pose “no known or expected health risk [including] an adequate margin of safety.[3]

NON CHLORINATED WATER DISINFECTING

If you are staying in a campground that does not have chlorinated water, the two most popular chemicals to increase the chlorine residual in freshwater tanks are Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) and Sodium Dichlor. Both are approved by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) for routine treatment of drinking water. [1] One of the key differences between Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) and Sodium Dichlor is that bleach is un-stabilized Chlorine and Sodium Dichlor is stabilized Chlorine. Stabilized chlorines do not break down in sunlight as fast as un-stabilized chlorine. Hence, the reason Sodium Dichlor is used in outdoor pools. [4]

To increase the chlorine residual in your freshwater tank to 1.5 PPM or 1.5 mg/L using unscented bleach with a 6% chlorine residual, add one teaspoon of bleach for every 50 gallons of freshwater.

To increase the chlorine residual in your freshwater tank to 2.0 PPM or 2.0 mg/L using Sodium Dichlor with a 62% chlorine residual, add 1/8 teaspoon of Sodium Dichlor for every 50 gallons of freshwater.

Sodium Dichlor has 10 times more chlorine than Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach), so only 1/10 the amount is required to maintain freshwater quality. Sodium Dichlor contains 56% or 62% chlorine. [10]

CHLORINATED WATER DISINFECTING

It’s wise to add additional chlorine to chlorinated city water in your freshwater tank to increase the chorine residual to the acceptable range for stored water. [6] Adding a small amount of chlorine to chlorinated city water will not increase the residual chlorine to an unacceptable level.

The chlorine dosages for unchlorinated water should be reduced by 50% when adding chlorine to chlorinated city water.

Chlorinated city water systems have chlorine residual levels of 0.5 to 2.0 PPM when first treated with chlorine and residual chlorine levels of around 0.1 to 0.5 PPM after the chlorine reacts with inorganic and organic matter and microbes in the water sanitizing the water. The minimum recommended WHO value for free chlorine residual in treated drinking water [at an endpoint/ faucet] to ensure microbiologically clean water is 0.2 PPM. [6] However, it is not optimal to maintain the quality of the water when it is stored in the home in a bucket or jerry can [or RV freshwater tank] for 24 hours or more. [6] Additional chlorine is required to ensure microbiologically clean water.

Chlorine is an extremely reactive chemical. Immediately after sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) is added to water, the chlorine levels decline because the chlorine is reacting with inorganic and organic matter and microbes in the water. If you add a chlorine solution with a chlorine residual of 0.75 to 1.0 PPM to chlorinated city water with a chlorine level of 0.1 to 0.5 PPM, the new level of chorine residual will still be in the acceptable range of 0.5 to 2 PPM, which is the range that balances disinfection efficacy and reasonable taste. [8]

TANK SHOCK CHLORINATION

To sanitize / disinfect a freshwater tank requires shock chlorination. Shock chlorination is obtained by increasing the chlorine residual of water to 50 PPM [9] and letting it sit for eight hours and no longer.

Since Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) and Sodium Dichlor are strong oxidizers and can damage your RV plumbing system when overutilized at high chlorine concertation levels over many years, it is best to drain your freshwater tank promptly after 8 hours. Never use more chlorine than necessary to raise chlorine residual to 50 PPM. Never pour undiluted Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) or Sodium Dichlor into your freshwater tank.

To increase the chlorine residual in a freshwater tank to 50 PPM using unscented bleach with a 6% chlorine residual, add six ounces of bleach for every 50 gallons of freshwater [7] and let it sit for eight hours, prior to draining.

To increase the chlorine residual in a freshwater tank to 50 PPM using Sodium Dichlor with a 62% residual chlorine, add 3.25 teaspoons (0.5 ounces) of Sodium Dichlor for every 50 gallons of freshwater [5] and let it sit for eight hours, prior to draining.

SODIUM DICHOR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Sodium Dichlor has advantages over Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach). Sodium Dichlor does not contain the contaminates and heavy metals found in bleach resulting in no bleach-like after-taste and a year’s worth of Sodium Dichlor fits into a relatively small container. One disadvantage to using Sodium Dichlor is that since it is highly concentrated, there is an increased risk of over chlorinating a freshwater tank making the water non-drinkable.

SODIUM DICHLOR CHLORINE RESIDUAL LEVELS

A 1/8 teaspoon of Sodium Dichlor in 50 gallons of water will have a chlorine residual of 2 PPM. [5] Chlorine level is within EPA’s allowable chlorine level for drinking water. WATER IS SAFE TO
DRINK.

A 1/4 teaspoon of Sodium Dichlor in 50 gallons of water will have a chlorine residual of 4 PPM. [5] Chlorine level is at the upper limit of EPA’s allowable chlorine level for drinking water. WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK.

A 1/2 teaspoon of Sodium Dichlor in 50 gallons of water will have a chlorine residual of 8 PPM. [5] Chlorine level exceeds EPA’s allowable chlorine level for drinking water. WATER SHOULD NOT BE DRANK.

HEALTH RISK

Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) and Sodium Dichlor can be hazardous to work with unless you use some common sense precautions. Use gloves and eye protection and avoid breathing chlorine fumes or exposing your skin to chlorine. Chlorine levels above 6.0 PPM can cause skin and eye irritation and chemical burns to broken skin. Chlorine levels 50 PPM and above are capable of causing severe skin and eye irritation and chemical burns to broken skin.

TOXIC TO ENVIRONMENT

Highly chlorinated water is toxic to the environment and wildlife. Water with high chlorine residual should not be disposed of onto vegetation or into surface water such as creeks, rivers, or lakes.

NEUTRALIZE CHLORINE WITH SODIUM THIOSULFATE

After sanitizing your freshwater tank for eight hours, mix two teaspoons of Sodium Thiosulfate in a gallon of water for every 50 gallons of chlorinated water in your freshwater tank. After mixing, pump the Sodium Thiosulfate and water into your freshwater tank. Sodium Thiosulfate instantly removes chlorine and chloramines from water using chemical dechlorinators that react with the chlorine to form harmless chloride ions. Now when you dump your freshwater tank, the water will not damage the environment.

REFERENCES

1.) Chlorinated Cyanurates: Review of Water Chemistry and Associated Drinking Water Implications | Science Inventory | US EPA (2020)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3CuzrBvyuBxc3yrqe3S7cJA7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcfpub.e pa.gov%2Fsi%2Fsi_public_record_report.cfm%3FLab%3D NRMRL%26dirEntryId%3D342248

2.) Chlorine Amounts Necessary for Disinfection | Pure Water Products (Year unknown)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3FXzKpeZpNrzLY5k3Fbp95g7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pur ewaterproducts.com%2Farticles%2Fchlorine-dosage%2F

3.) Chlorine in Tap Water Is Safe to Drink | Water Quality and Health Council (2010)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/33tVybcJ1AgCifkMwKas4YW7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwateran dhealth.org%2Fsafe-drinking-water%2Fdrinking-water%2Fchlorine-in-tap-water-is-safe-to-drink

4.) Chlorine, by any other name, is NOT the same | Water Safety Magazine (2013).
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3B94ewUCTG5aHQBv5GADoBn7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goo gle.com%2Famp%2Fs%2Fwww.watersafetymagazine.com%2F chlorine-by-any-other-name-is-not-the-same%2Famp%2F

5.) Chlorine Dilution Calculator | Public Health Ontario (Unknown Year)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3Cd6m9LGRaEBtCJ1qfz3jcd7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pub lichealthontario.ca%2Fen%2Fhealth-topics%2Fenvironmental-occupational-health%2Fwater-quality%2Fchlorine-dilution-calculator

6.) Chlorine Residual Testing Fact Sheet (Year unknown)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3BbRbARhKgtKvMhZYvmAFNv7Vc?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ehpr oject.org%2FPDF%2Fehkm%2Fcdc-chlorineresidual-updated.pdf

7.) Foodsafe Chlorine Dilution Calculator | Food Safe (Year unknown)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3SAGUNFfhRtNKsp4VBqWfxH7Vc?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.food safe.ca%2Fdilution-calculator.html

8.) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Sodium Hypochlorite Solution (2014)
https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/chlorination-faq.html

9.) How Much Chlorine To Add to Storage Tank To Kill Bacteria | Clean Water Store (Year unknown)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/38njw1FeXnfx1EiFeQSxWo7Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clea nwaterstore.com%2Fresource%2Fhow-to-guides%2Fhow-much-chlorine-to-add-to-storage-tank-to-kill-bacteria%2F

10.) Sodium Dichlor-S-Triazinetrione Fact Sheet | The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (2014)
https://clicktime.symantec.com/3DDgJoYbAyzZLpeL5zg48v87Vc?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pht a.org%2Fpub%2F%3Fid%3D08FA1535-1866-DAAC-99FB-F5E639FBE1C0

[carlsojr]

I do, but my wife hates the taste, so we carry bottled water from the grocers, and always use it to make the coffee. The coffee must taste right!