Keep Your Water Safe in Your RV: Tank Safety
09-22-2017
Making sure you have pure, good-quality water coming out of your RV's faucet can seem like a full-time job. While traveling, you probably fill your fresh-water tank whenever you reach a convenient source. Though lots of RV parks offer municipal water, many others provide water from reservoirs or wells located on the premises. Plus, if you only fire up the RV for intermittent weekend trips or vacations, there's no telling what may be incubating in the tanks whether you drained them or not. In addition to installing reliable filters to purify your drinking water, or even the entire water system, it's a good idea to periodically sanitize your fresh water tank and take other preventative measures to avoid contamination.
Sanitize the RV Fresh Water Tank
This step-by-step process to sanitize your tank takes a little less than an hour of actual effort and most of a day of processing. It's best to do this while you're plugged into shore power. However, if you can't plug in, make sure your batteries are fully charged, as you need to use the water pump for this.
If you use your RV all of the time, it's a good idea to do this monthly. For less frequent use, twice a year is probably sufficient, but always sanitize your tank before storing your RV.
It's an unfortunate fact of life that you will come in contact with bacteria, germs, and viruses, but by developing a few good habits you can significantly reduce the amount you actually ingest. Add these easy methods and tips to your normal routine to avoid contaminating your supply of fresh water.
It isn’t difficult to prevent your family from getting sick due to contaminated water. Following these practices reduces the number of harmful bacteria that makes it into your water supply or your RV.
Having access to water on demand is one of the modern conveniences that drive people to purchase RVs in the first place. With multiple water sources and periods of inactivity, however, the water in your tank may be anything but "fresh." With a few good habits, a good filtration system, and a maintenance schedule that includes routine sanitation, you should be able to avoid the uncomfortable, inconvenience of illness due to contaminated water. Your family will thank you.
Related Read: Keep Your Water Safe and Tasty in Your RV: Filters
Sanitize the RV Fresh Water Tank
This step-by-step process to sanitize your tank takes a little less than an hour of actual effort and most of a day of processing. It's best to do this while you're plugged into shore power. However, if you can't plug in, make sure your batteries are fully charged, as you need to use the water pump for this.
- Turn off the water heater and—if your RV has been sitting over winter—make sure to remove any anti-freeze that may be in the pipes.
- Open your gray water tank's drain valve.
- Turn off the water pump and open the fresh water tank valve to drain any water left in that tank.
- Then, mix a cup of bleach (or tank cleaner) with about a gallon of clean water.
- Using a funnel, pour the mixture into the empty fresh water tank.
- Close the fresh water tank valve, turn on the water pump, and fill the tank with fresh water.
- When it’s completely full, turn on all of the water faucets (inside and out) even the shower. Make sure that the drain valve to the gray water tank is open and let the water run through.
- When the aroma of the water coming out of the faucets smells strongly of bleach, turn off all of the faucets.
- Then, fill the fresh water tank with water and let it sit for 8 to 12 hours.
- After that amount of time has passed, turn on all the faucets, shower, etc. again to let the water rinse through. Do this until the water no longer smells like bleach.
- Fill the fresh water tank and repeat the flushing process until there is no hint of bleach in the water.
- Refill the tank with clean water, and you're ready to go!
If you use your RV all of the time, it's a good idea to do this monthly. For less frequent use, twice a year is probably sufficient, but always sanitize your tank before storing your RV.
Related Read: Easy RV Repairs You Can Do Yourself!
Prevent Contamination with These MethodsIt's an unfortunate fact of life that you will come in contact with bacteria, germs, and viruses, but by developing a few good habits you can significantly reduce the amount you actually ingest. Add these easy methods and tips to your normal routine to avoid contaminating your supply of fresh water.
- ALWAYS wash your hands after using the dump station or touching the waste hose or drain. You could also use disposable gloves for these chores.
- Don't fill your fresh water tank at a dump station unless it is guaranteed safe for human consumption.
- Make sure to wash your hands before touching your fresh water hose, and keep it from touching the ground.
- Ask the campground host or manager whether the park provides municipal water or well water. Then, find out how regularly it's tested for safety.
- Install good-quality water filters. We have one at the source and another at the kitchen faucet. Plus, our RV came equipped with a third. We believe the water can't be too pure.
- Lastly, if you aren’t sure how safe the water is, you can always boil it before consuming or use bottled water.
It isn’t difficult to prevent your family from getting sick due to contaminated water. Following these practices reduces the number of harmful bacteria that makes it into your water supply or your RV.
Related Read: RV Health: Staying Healthy in Varying Climates
In ConclusionHaving access to water on demand is one of the modern conveniences that drive people to purchase RVs in the first place. With multiple water sources and periods of inactivity, however, the water in your tank may be anything but "fresh." With a few good habits, a good filtration system, and a maintenance schedule that includes routine sanitation, you should be able to avoid the uncomfortable, inconvenience of illness due to contaminated water. Your family will thank you.
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Author: Carrie Todd
