Water...to drink or not to drink (1 Viewer)

zen navigator

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Got a nine year old van. We use the water for showers, washing up and boiled water for brews.

Boiling is going to kill any nasties, unpleasantness in the tank. Should we be purifying the water and does anybody actually use their water supply has drinking water?

Dave
 

MaureenD

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Jan 15, 2008
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No we don't use it we carry the 5ltr water container and fill up on site. we use it to b rew as well.
 

Jim

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Jul 19, 2007
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We do, but we use Link RemovedCapable of turning the dirtiest bug infested water into pure clean water. Its just nice to have clean fresh water on tap.

Link Removed
 

geoff1947

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why why why

way go to all the expense of filter systems etc Just fill the kettle from the site tap as and when need.!!plus a small 10 ltr plastic container for drinks
 

hilldweller

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Got a nine year old van. We use the water for showers, washing up and boiled water for brews.

Boiling is going to kill any nasties, unpleasantness in the tank. Should we be purifying the water and does anybody actually use their water supply has drinking water?

Dave

We carry a 5l plastic container ( two sometimes ) with drinking water. The only time pumped water gets inside us is washed vegetables or tooth cleaning.

Very workable solution.

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Aug 9, 2008
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We do, but we use Link RemovedCapable of turning the dirtiest bug infested water into pure clean water. Its just nice to have clean fresh water on tap.

Link Removed

I agree with you Jim, I 've had one in my last three vans over a 15 year period, yes they seem expensive but unlike other systems they do exactly what it says on the Box. It tastes as good a pure spring Water each filter lasts us a full 12 months before slowing the water supply down., I've never had to clean a tank out in all that time, just add a steralizing tablet now and then to combat any smells.

They are made in the USA but surprisingly RV's aren't fitted with them as standard.

Brian
 

Frankia

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We use the smaller Nature Pure system as in Link Removed

and it is very effective and worth every penny.

We used to have a couple of 5Ltr bottles for drinking water but this system saves the space they occupied and it is so much easier just to turn a tap for fresh water (must be getting idle in me old age.
 

vwalan

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i do have a doulton berkenfield system for safari use .but drink the water just about every where , lived on rain water coming of the trailer roof for 7 weeks last winter. that was in portugal. even in morocco i find i only use the filter if we have had to pick up really bad water from a river or something. just wash tank out at next clean water and off you go again . boil ware and drink lots wine it makes sense. even going down to gambia we never had a problem getting drinking water. but if in doubt get a filter ,but get a good one .i also have fitted the general ecology ones like the others use. i got mine because it as silver inlay and a very good ceramic filter.

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pappajohn

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way go to all the expense of filter systems etc Just fill the kettle from the site tap as and when need.!!plus a small 10 ltr plastic container for drinks
and if you're at a motorhome show rally and the water comes from a mobile water bowser ?
many shows have only one or two taps for the whole ground and may be 400mtrs/500mtrs or more from the van...hence the bowsers.

And how long ago was the bowser last thoroughly cleaned and sterilised ? if ever.
 

roger buckley

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We buy 5 ltrs of water on arrival and use that for all drinking/cooking. We rinse through the water tank with Milton baby purifying liquid before using the water in there to wash with.
All the best
Roger
 
Oct 14, 2007
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We have a nature pure filter, the best bit of kit we bought for the van. It saves storing lots on bottled water leaving room for more beer and wine:ROFLMAO:.
The only problem is at home tap water taste horrible (chlorine) after we have been away using the van for a few days.

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Janine

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Cheap bottled water for drinking (12p for 2 ltrs from Sainsbury's etc)
5 litre carrier for filling up from site tap for dogs and cooking.
On-board tank for washing.

..but then I am paranoid :roflmto:
 

Welsh girl

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we use the water that we put in the tank from the water on site but have recently bought a brita filter for use to drink but boil water from the tank for tea and coffee but use the water from the tank to clean teeth and stuff, never had tummy trouble must have good constitutions I say and you do need a few germs to stay immunne I reckon as my Mum always said a bit of dirt never hurt you and I am a firm believer in that:ROFLMAO:
 

Heyupluv

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i do have a doulton berkenfield system for safari use .but drink the water just about every where , lived on rain water coming of the trailer roof for 7 weeks last winter. that was in portugal. even in morocco i find i only use the filter if we have had to pick up really bad water from a river or something. just wash tank out at next clean water and off you go again . boil ware and drink lots wine it makes sense. even going down to gambia we never had a problem getting drinking water. but if in doubt get a filter ,but get a good one .i also have fitted the general ecology ones like the others use. i got mine because it as silver inlay and a very good ceramic filter.

I agree with Alan.....(most of the time) meaning I have drunk water all over France, and Portugal, I live in France and drink French water all the time and have done for the last 7 years,...Now on a Aire, a little more caution.... we will always spray with a anti bacterial spray and a light bleach /water mix and wash the tap well, not because of the water it is because of other motorhomers, pushing the there toilet cassettes up and sometimes touching the drinking water tap !!!!????:Doh::Angry:....in the motorhome we fill up when leaving home, and our water will last from 3 to 4 days before refilling, and every second fill we will use aqua tabs to sterilize and purify and keep the tank clean ...............we have never had a stomach problem or the Deli Beli ....or the curry rush & flush..........:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Mel :thumb:

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Road Runner

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We use the smaller Nature Pure system as in Link Removed

and it is very effective and worth every penny.

We used to have a couple of 5Ltr bottles for drinking water but this system saves the space they occupied and it is so much easier just to turn a tap for fresh water (must be getting idle in me old age.

How much is the nature pure system?
 

vwalan

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fitted the nature pure system in my mates purple daf truck .seems quite good .he is alergic to chlorine etc . seems to take it all out but can bea bit heavy on filters . get plenty of seala as spare. .the beauty of the berkenfield is as it slows down you can scrub the filter candle and use again. .got mine from brownchurch landrover people in london.
like i have said before .clorinated water will clean thetanks and pipes its self thats why its there.
 

Douglas

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I too use a nature pure water filter but I fitted the filter to get rid of the chlorine taste from the water. but we have always drank the water from the tank and even before we changed from boats to motor homes we drank the water from the boat tanks, is a bit difficult buying water when your out at sea!!

If you are worried about a new van and the tanks history, empty the tank, get your hang/arm inside is and wash away the sediment that may bi on the bottom, wash the tank with a hose from the tap with the tank drain out, refill the tank and pump a lot of water out of your taps for about 10 minuets, have all the taps open at the same time, refill you tank and you finished. Don'T add extra water conditioning tablets/liquids, they only add extra off tastes.

You may still get a taste of chlorine that is put there by the water company but it wont harm you, if you don't like it fit a filter, but not a cheap one.

Doug...

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barryd

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We have spent over half of the last 12 months away in the van, all over europe and the UK. I always drink the water, it always tastes ok and I have never steralised or cleaned the tank. The water in most of Europe is perfectly safe to drink. What isnt safe is the increasing trend to be so clinical about everything we eat and drink. Sell by dates, water, everything seems to have to be sanitised before we come into contact with it. Result? Reduced immune system efficiency. I have never been ill from drinking water anywhere. Now beer and wine, thats another story.
 

Jim

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I agree Barry, most water in Europe is safe to drink. Though for young children or if your knocking on a bit, then i would recommend a filter every time. Straight from the filter the water is safer than any you might buy in a bottle, granted it costs £200 and then £50 a year but IMO it's a small price to pay for excellent tasting water and peace of mind.
 

Happy Hippy

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way go to all the expense of filter systems etc Just fill the kettle from the site tap as and when need.!!plus a small 10 ltr plastic container for drinks

Well, for one thing, because I have never stayed on a site and never will :ROFLMAO:But I don't use a filter either, although I do boil my water before I drink it. I also carry a couple of 5 litre plastic containers but this is only for emergency use in case I should run out of water in the tank (very unusual), or for those times in winter when it is so cold that my water tank freezes up.

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GregM

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Our van is 4 years old, we've had it just for one of those years but we all drink water from the on board tank. Kids and us drink squash using it and we have it boiled in tea/coffee.

We wash up with it, brush our teeth with in and wow we even shower in it:winky:

Bottled water just seems like a waste of money to me, basically you are paying for a non biodegradable bottle that lingers in land find fill for years, the content (water) you already pay for in water rates.
 

Happy Hippy

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Totally agree about bottled water being a waste of money, I have never had to pay for water in all the time I've been on the road. The nearest I came was this last winter when we had a period of about 3 weeks of sub-zero temperatures and not only was my water system frozen up, but so were all of the outdoor taps I wuld normally get water from. My plastic containers only gave me 2 or 3 days worth of water (as compared to about 4 weeks worth in my tank when it isn't frozen up), so refilling the plastic containers became a problem. When there was snow on the ground I could put that into my kettle, but there wasn't always snow. Even then I managed to avoid paying for water, but only because I was able to beg some tap water from local house dwellers. Nobody ever refused me when I asked :Smile:
 

barryd

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I do find howevert that the type of hose you use makes a difference. This year I took two. I have a 5 metre blue food grade hose which I normally use as long as I can get close enough and the water tastes fine. I had a role up hose (flat) on a reel which was new (you wont believe this) 17 years ago (wedding present) which had never been used. I took it with us and used it once and the water tasted awful. Still drank it though. Think I might bin it and go back to the green garden hose we used to carry.

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T

TomTee

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My new 'van came with a 3M filter system fitted. The price of replacement cartridges is only about £30 and they are supposed to last six months but that's using 7500 litres of water. I plan to change it only once a year or even longer if the water seems OK.

The entire system only costs around £76.00, which is a lot better than some others mentioned although to be fair, it's not for use with really contaminated water. Changing filters takes seconds and if you ever have to remove the filter, everything works as normal.

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My 'van's water tank also supplies the flushing water for the lavatory so we flush with filtered water - how posh is that?!!!
 

pappajohn

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How much is the nature pure system?

with dedicated tap around £180

without tap around £130

replacement cartridges around £40.

all cheaper at the shows :thumb:

with the tap you may get two years or more from a cartridge....you're only using it for drinking and teeth.

without the tap ALL the water you use is filtered....drinking, washing, cooking and showering....not a very economical way to do it.

i'll let you sample a glass from mine at wrenbury.....assuming, for obvious reasons, you are still going of course.
 

Madmaggott

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We use bottles for drinking water as they are filled/emptied so quickly they don't get a 'taste'. Got into this habit when we had a caravan as the water from the aquaroll soon tasted awful, even after a few hours.
We use a product called Citroxx in the fresh water tank, use a strong solution once to initially clean the system then add, from memory 50ml (the OH usually does it), when the tank is filled. This keeps the whole system fresh, tanks and pipes.
Oh, and we use a disinfectant spray/wipes on the tap as others have said before, some people use the fresh water tap to swill their 'potty'! Ugh.:ROFLMAO:

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TonyIsh UK

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Simples

If you suffer from a rumbling tum, (Some peope have cast iron tums !) use mains or bottled water !

Rgds
 

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