# Water: what would you do?



## RSD7a (Aug 13, 2021)

6 weeks ago I filled up the fresh water tank and refilled 8 two litre "single use" bottles with fresh water. The anticipated trip didn't happen. So all that water still sits there untouched. Would you dump it all and refill before using? (We don't drink from the fresh water tank). Or would you use what's there?


----------



## Robmac (Aug 13, 2021)

I would drink it with no qualms.

I have done this in the past with no ill effects.


----------



## n brown (Aug 13, 2021)

i'd use it one way or another . having spent years collecting water .i see it as a precious resource


----------



## campervanannie (Aug 14, 2021)

Mine often sits for weeks full of water and I just use it though I have separate drinking water.


----------



## Tookey (Aug 14, 2021)

Happily wash up/hand wash.....BUT, I dont know what environment your van is stored in, Legionella bacteria can multiply in water between 20-50c which is no issue at all in drinking water. If my tank had sat in 20c plus for 6 weeks I would be hesitant to shower with it as inhaling a mist of droplets into your lungs is how you get ill with legionnaires

This is an unlikely scenario but possible, more relevant to our Iberia members tbh but worth noting.

Just for people's interest, the largest Legionella outbreak in recent times in the UK was caused by the mist created by a fountain at a golf club which members drove past, due to the nice weather they often had the car windows down and some inhaled the mist.


----------



## GMJ (Aug 14, 2021)

Personally I'd dump it and refresh it. Nothing to lose really by doing that and it would take away any concerns that you might have.


----------



## mistericeman (Aug 14, 2021)

I'd just use it as usual... 
We don't drink from our tank though so it's only used for washing/showering etc.


----------



## Fisherman (Aug 14, 2021)

The length of time potable water can be stored safely ranges anywhere from a single day to indefinitely depending on how you are storing the water and the purity level of the water, to begin with. Clean water that is left in an open cup outside is likely to go bad (become contaminated) within 1-3 days. Water from your tap (assuming that it is clean enough to drink) that is stored in a sealed container can last up to 6 months or maybe longer, however, it may be a good idea to check and add a small amount of household chlorine bleach to purify the water (do not use bleach that has fresheners or scents). Purified water that is sealed in a food-grade container will last for a long time, 2 years, or even much longer.









						How Long Can Water be Stored Before it Goes Bad? | EZ-Prepping
					

Water is one of the fundamental necessities of life so there is no supplement or replacement for water. I think we sometimes take water for…




					ezprepping.com


----------



## RSD7a (Aug 14, 2021)

Tookey said:


> Happily use.....BUT, I dont know what environment your van is stored in, Legionella bacteria can multiply in water between 20-50c which is no issue at all in drinking water. If my tank had sat in 20c plus for 6 weeks I would be hesitant to shower with it as inhaling a mist of droplets into your lungs is how you get ill with legionnaires
> 
> This is an unlikely scenario but possible, more relevant to our Iberia members tbh but worth noting.
> 
> Just for people's interest, the largest Legionella outbreak in recent times in the UK was caused by the mist created by a fountain at a golf club which members drove past, due to the nice weather they often had the car windows down and some inhaled the mist.


The time it has been stored does include (if fading memory serves) a heatwave. Does 20°+ refer to ambient or water temp?


----------



## st3v3 (Aug 14, 2021)

Water temp.

I'd keep it, but maybe not drink.


----------



## jagmanx (Aug 14, 2021)

Interesting that many say
"Use but do not drink"
But it appears legionaires disease,  possible when showering is the biggest risk !
Simples Don't shower


----------



## Fisherman (Aug 14, 2021)

I used to be a keen tropical fish enthusiast.
We would never take water from a tap and put it straight into an aquarium, because it contains chlorine. But if you left the water in an open container for 24 hours it would lose all of the chlorine. We would never replace any more than one third at any one time.
I think this is were the confusion arises. Water stored in a tank retains its chlorine much longer. Also many water borne diseases stem from interaction from the air which is also why it lasts longer in a sealed container.
With regards to legionnaires disease if you heat your water to 60c it will kill of any legionnaires bacteria. Hence why Truma always advise to use their boilers at the higher temperature on a regular basis.


----------



## SquirrellCook (Aug 14, 2021)

Dump it on the garden, don't be lazy.


----------



## Fazerloz (Aug 14, 2021)

Dump and fill with fresh, without doubt.


----------



## RSD7a (Aug 14, 2021)

Fazerloz said:


> Dump and fill with fresh, without doubt.


Would that include the "drinking water" put into the "single use" two litre bottles?


----------



## Fazerloz (Aug 14, 2021)

RSD7a said:


> Would that include the "drinking water" put into the "single use" two litre bottles?


Yes it would.


----------



## Fazerloz (Aug 14, 2021)

Fisherman said:


> I used to be a keen tropical fish enthusiast.
> We would never take water from a tap and put it straight into an aquarium, because it contains chlorine. But if you left the water in an open container for 24 hours it would lose all of the chlorine. We would never replace any more than one third at any one time.
> I think this is were the confusion arises. Water stored in a tank retains its chlorine much longer. Also many water borne diseases stem from interaction from the air which is also why it lasts longer in a sealed container.
> With regards to legionnaires disease if you heat your water to 60c it will kill of any legionnaires bacteria. Hence why Truma always advise to use their boilers at the higher temperature on a regular basis.


I will just add taps and showers should be run at full hot for a couple of minutes every 6 months to kill any bacteria in the heads.


----------



## CliveW (Aug 14, 2021)

Tank water should be fine for washing etc, personally I would refresh your bottles if used for drinking.


----------



## 1 Cup (Aug 14, 2021)

I leave my tanks empty in van.  Just wash the van with it, if you don't like waste..
The old hot water tank in our attic,  used to have big bits of iron in it ???
, we now have a combination boiler no tank thats how I found out this fact.


----------



## rugbyken (Aug 14, 2021)

personally i’d change the drinking water but not bother with the tank if you don’t drink from that scource


----------



## vindiboy (Aug 14, 2021)

We had 2 x 5 litre bottled water left over after a Spain trip once unopened I left them in our dinning room for a couple of days, they were in sun some of the time and the water within turned green, watered the plants with it,.


----------



## alcam (Aug 14, 2021)

Robmac said:


> I would drink it with no qualms.
> 
> I have done this in the past with no ill effects.


Probably quicker to talk about what you wouldn't drink Rob


----------



## 2cv (Aug 14, 2021)

As recommended by Roaminrog, I got one of these. Seems to work fine and cuts out guesswork. They are probably available for less on e bay. Link


----------



## jann (Aug 14, 2021)

We always boil water that we drink


----------



## jagmanx (Aug 14, 2021)

jann said:


> We always boil water that we drink


I always put rum in the water I drink !


----------



## Fisherman (Aug 14, 2021)

jagmanx said:


> I always put rum in the water I drink !


You mean you put water in your rum, just a dash


----------



## jagmanx (Aug 14, 2021)

Yes and only ! a mini-dash


----------



## Tony Lee (Aug 14, 2021)

We do drink the water in the tank and unless there is a need to winterised, the tanks are left full. 
In 15 years full time RVing through more than 30 countries, including many third-world ones, we have never had a health problem remotely attributable to our on-board water supply


----------



## Goggles (Aug 14, 2021)

I’d dump it run a fresh lot though the tank and pipes, refill and use …… and I don’t consider myself over cautious  I wouldn’t want the lurgies.


----------



## RSD7a (Aug 14, 2021)

Thanks for all the (conflicting ) advice. 
New thread coming .. What do you do when you get conflicting advice? (Only joking ...)

I started with some doubts about the safety of the water and those doubts haven't totally disappeared. Weighing everything that's been said, my decision is to leave the water in the tank and refresh the bottled tap water which is used for drinking.


----------



## Robmac (Aug 15, 2021)

alcam said:


> Probably quicker to talk about what you wouldn't drink Rob



To be  fair Al, I'm far to sh*tfaced to even remember the original topic.!


----------



## alwaysared (Aug 15, 2021)

2cv said:


> As recommended by Roaminrog, I got one of these. Seems to work fine and cuts out guesswork. They are probably available for less on e bay. Link


At Holmbeach we did a test using a water tester, not really scientific but we tested the water out of the tap, then the water out of the filter jug and then boiled water left to cool down to room temp (MoHo temp  ) out of the kettle. I can't remember the figures, the filter jug was better than the tap but by far the best was the water from the kettle 

Regards,
Del


----------



## molly 2 (Aug 15, 2021)

I was of the opinion the tap water was not good  .


----------



## mid4did (Aug 15, 2021)

I've installed a Pozzani water filter kit a few years back,need to change the filter every 6 months but gives us cheap safe drinking water.I mailed them to say where it was going and asked for a t junction for the plastic water pipe,they supplied it no extra charge.
Pozanni water filter kit


----------



## 2cv (Aug 15, 2021)

alwaysared said:


> At Holmbeach we did a test using a water tester, not really scientific but we tested the water out of the tap, then the water out of the filter jug and then boiled water left to cool down to room temp (MoHo temp  ) out of the kettle. I can't remember the figures, the filter jug was better than the tap but by far the best was the water from the kettle
> 
> Regards,
> Del



Our home tap water gave a very good reading and was even better after a Brita filter. The tank water in the van was near the limit for drinking water, so Puriclean will be applied soon.


----------



## jacquigem (Aug 16, 2021)

can you buy  water testing kit ?


----------



## REC (Aug 16, 2021)

jacquigem said:


> can you buy  water testing kit ?


I get them on Amazon or ebay. Use them to test water in our place in Portugal annually. Test for nitrates, lead, ecoli, chemicals etc. Also have a battery powered TDS thingy (tests for dissolved solids) .


----------



## Petethetug (Aug 16, 2021)

I usually drink water from the tank even if it's "old water".  This is invariably for tea or coffee.  I doubt any "bugs" would survive boiling!
To be on the safe side, if the kettle has nor been used for a while I boil up a drop of water to scald it out and pour it away into the washing up bowl to save wasting it . . . . . .
Ptt.


----------



## Pedalman (Aug 20, 2021)

Tookey said:


> Happily wash up/hand wash.....BUT, I dont know what environment your van is stored in, Legionella bacteria can multiply in water between 20-50c which is no issue at all in drinking water. If my tank had sat in 20c plus for 6 weeks I would be hesitant to shower with it as inhaling a mist of droplets into your lungs is how you get ill with legionnaires
> 
> This is an unlikely scenario but possible, more relevant to our Iberia members tbh but worth noting.
> 
> Just for people's interest, the largest Legionella outbreak in recent times in the UK was caused by the mist created by a fountain at a golf club which members drove past, due to the nice weather they often had the car windows down and some inhaled the mist.


My tap water in a sealed container had black floaty slime in it after only three weeks  when I left it in my van in the recent hot weather. I dumped the water  and sterilised the container with baby bottle sterilising fluid.  Tap water is not 100% bacteria free and it will multiply over time.


----------



## SquirrellCook (Aug 20, 2021)

You get free mould spores in this part of Yorkshire.


----------



## Penny13 (Aug 21, 2021)

Robmac said:


> I would drink it with no qualms.
> 
> I have done this in the past with no ill effects.


But Rob your pickled


----------



## Robmac (Aug 21, 2021)

Penny13 said:


> But Rob your pickled



Good point well made Pen!


----------



## MiaC3000 (Aug 23, 2021)

Does anyone use Elsan Elsil water purification liquid?


----------



## molly 2 (Aug 24, 2021)

I prefer my water fresh so I'm a dumper


----------



## witzend (Aug 24, 2021)

This is turning out to equal a toilet thread


----------



## Robmac (Aug 24, 2021)

molly 2 said:


> I prefer my water fresh so I'm a dumper



I prefer my water with hops, barley and yeast in it Bazz.

You can dump some of that my way.


----------

