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Old 02-28-2007, 11:27 PM   #1
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I'm replacing the water tank and all the plumbing in 81 Scamp that I just purchased and also putting in the pump system.
I've noticed reading through the forums that many people seem to say they bring bottled water for drinking. Being new to this I'm wondering if anyone uses the onboard tank for drinking water or not. Are there reasons to not use it for drinking.
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Old 02-28-2007, 11:43 PM   #2
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Quote:
I'm replacing the water tank and all the plumbing in 81 Scamp that I just purchased and also putting in the pump system.
I've noticed reading through the forums that many people seem to say they bring bottled water for drinking. Being new to this I'm wondering if anyone uses the onboard tank for drinking water or not. Are there reasons to not use it for drinking.
A large percentage of the trailers here are both vintage and orphans, manufactured by companies long out of business. Drinking water out of a 30 year old tank that was probably owned by at least a couple of possibly nonhygienic persons I don't know prior to my coming into possession of my trailer just isn't an appealing thought.
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Old 02-28-2007, 11:52 PM   #3
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Hi: I think its a convenience issue...We use our tank water supply for everything...Thats why I cleaned out the tank with bleach and water and replaced all the water supply lines with S/S flex lines and all the pump hoses with proper 60# R.V.potable water hoses...so we could drink our own water. Most people would just rather bring bottled water to drink!!!
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Old 03-01-2007, 06:30 AM   #4
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Both Benita and Bob called it right. I've seen some pretty icky stuff in 'fresh water' tanks in travel trailers. However, if you take the time to sanitize your tank and system and flush it properly, there's no reason not to use it for drinking water. Merely that water comes in bottles from the store is no guarantee that it's particularly clean either.

I use and have used the tanks in all of the trailers I've had for drinking water after I sanitized them. It is a good idea to add a little extra chlorine if you plan to let the trailer sit for any period of time with water in the tank. I usually drain mine after each outing and refill it on each outing as necessary.

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Old 03-01-2007, 06:57 AM   #5
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Yes, we drink from our fresh water tank. I sanitize it along with the de-winterizing process once a year. I also keep two separate hoses for fresh tank and black tank usage.
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Old 03-01-2007, 07:01 AM   #6
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I've got an oldy-but-goody Scamp and have cleaned all the lines and the tank numerous times..even bought some freshwater tank chemicals from Camping World. The water still smells and tastes funny. I'm beginning to think a prior owner used REGULAR vehicle anti-freeze, not stuff designed for RVs I don't mind using the water out of the tank, except for drinking, cooking or brushing my teeth. Hence, I bring bottled water for those times. I usually purchase the bottled water when I get at or near my camping destination. I prefer NOT traveling with any of the tanks full....it's a weight thang.

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Old 03-01-2007, 07:29 AM   #7
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Are there reasons to not use it for drinking.
Yes - it doesn't taste as good as wine !
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Old 03-01-2007, 07:51 AM   #8
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Yes. We use our fresh water tanks for drinking. We add bleach and fill it each spring. After two flushings with fresh water the taste is gone. One sugestion would be to buy a proper hose from your RV dealer. The ordinary garden variety leaves a plastic taste. That said, I use a collapsable hose when camping because it takes so little space in the storage area.
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Old 03-01-2007, 07:58 AM   #9
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I found that the Proper hose to fill the tank helps as well. I bought the Canvas type and use it only to fill the water take. I cleaned and sanitized the tanks and lines when I bought our trailer. Each spring I do it again. I have even been known to sanitize the hose bibb in the camp ground before I attach my water hose. Fresh water is something you want to be careful with. A Green Garden hose does leave a terrible taste in the water. Our water tastes pretty good now.
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Old 03-01-2007, 10:13 AM   #10
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I bring bottled water for coffee, and drinking.

I brush my teeth with tank water and cook with it as well. My dogs don't seem too offended by tank water.

I guess it's the direct hit factor.
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Old 03-01-2007, 11:15 AM   #11
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Ditto everything everyone has said about being sure to keep the tank clean - especially if the water sits for an extended period of time.

I try not to travel with a full tank of fresh water - hard on gas mileage. But I usually have some water onboard for camping places with no hook-ups. I don't like carrying extra bottled water - takes up space when I already have a perfectly good place to store fresh water!

But then, my Escape is new and the tanks are all pristine.

In my old VW Camper, I found a dead mouse floating around in the 'fresh' water tank I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned - and it still took awhile before I felt comfortable drinking out of THAT tank. I also have a 'camel-back' water insert for a daypack - and one spring I was getting ready to fill it and found green grunge in the sipping hose I've been very, very careful to put it away absolutely dry ever since. But that experience tells me that I'd better be careful 'winterizing' my Escape so that it's hoses don't end up like that!

So, I think it just depends on what you start with and how willing you are to do the maintenance.
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Old 03-01-2007, 12:10 PM   #12
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Wow, appreciate all the response. Especially like Jack's suggestion about the wine. Now we'll have to install a wine cooler if we can find room. I'm putting all new tank, pump, lines and faucets in so should be good to go, but will make sure I do some regular sanitizing with the bleach.
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Old 03-01-2007, 01:51 PM   #13
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With my truck camper (which I bought new) I always used bottled water for drinking/coffee/cooking due to the plastic taste from the tank. Seems like at most grocery stores it was <$1 per gallon and one gallon would last me for several days. Plus I would refill the jugs with free good tasting water when I came across it and keep several on hand.
Just a matter of choice..... and a lot less problematic for simple types, like me!
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