# Do you drink water from your onboard tank?



## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

I don't but I bet there's a few here who do..So?


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

No, I take bottled water


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

ok. sometimes.depends where it came from


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## John H (Jul 5, 2012)

For making coffee, for cooking or for cleaning my teeth - yes, and have done so for 14 years without problem. The wife drinks bottled water but I drink red wine!


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## vwalan (Jul 5, 2012)

usually drink it straight from the tank .if doubts on where it came from use a filter .but never clean it with anything just chlorinated water.


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## oldish hippy (Jul 5, 2012)

will do when from home or just buy 5 ltre container from smarkets that do me and then use other for washing etc if run out then boil it first if not sure


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## suej (Jul 5, 2012)

We do .. himwotdoes installed one of these Water Filters - Nature Pure - General Ecology - Discounts - Buy securely on-line. Brilliant!  Didn't buy it from them tho

Sue


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

just remembered you been in portugal,i filled up regular from monchique springs.of course i drank it,other times i got water from public taps,sod drinking that,some of it even smelt funny.never felt i had to clean out the tank though


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

n brown said:


> just remembered you been in portugal,i filled up regular from monchique springs.of course i drank it,other times i got water from public taps,sod drinking that,some of it even smelt funny.never felt i had to clean out the tank though



There's nothing better than drinking fresh spring or mountain water and like you I'd have no problem with filling the onboard tank. However I do keep my drinking water seperate from the onboard tank. Maybe I'm over careful but thats okay..


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

DRoader said:


> There's nothing better than drinking fresh spring or mountain water and like you I'd have no problem with filling the onboard tank. However I do keep my drinking water seperate from the onboard tank. Maybe I'm over careful but thats okay..



ah but !my attitude was for me and my 4 kids to drink the water wherever we were,and build up the antibodies.the kids are now grown up and don't do ' ill ' or see doctors.overcareful may not be the right move


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

n brown said:


> ah but !my attitude was for me and my 4 kids to drink the water wherever we were,and build up the antibodies.the kids are now grown up and don't do ' ill ' or see doctors.overcareful may not be the right move



I think there is a lot to be said for that, I just enjoy really fresh water


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## Northerner (Jul 5, 2012)

My lovely motorhome came with an inbuilt water filter system (3M) and I replace the cartridge every year or two so we've no worries about drinking the water. The lavatory uses water from the fresh water tank as well so we even flush with filtered water. How posh is that eh?


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

n brown said:


> ah but !my attitude was for me and my 4 kids to drink the water wherever we were,and build up the antibodies.the kids are now grown up and don't do ' ill ' or see doctors.overcareful may not be the right move



I was brought up in the 70s on tap water from Wales. I'm not sure it kept me that healthy really. I have allergies aplus now but nothing life threatening. But you know what this isn't about the water its about how you store it


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 5, 2012)

Never, nice warm slimey tanks breeding ground for bugs. Never shower in this water if standing for some time.

Use bottled water.


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## lotusanne (Jul 5, 2012)

Call  me a wimp but never, not after being sick as dog for several days after drinking water out of someones campervan!  And I mean really really out of it!  I always take large plastic container with lid thats easy to fill up anywhere for drinking water and brews, and use on board water for washing up and getting washed.


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

Robmac said:


> I think there is a lot to be said for that, I just enjoy really fresh water



same here,lots of good springs about when you get the hang of an area. we just never had the money to buy water,and if the only water you could find was out of a tap in a gents bog in the arab quarter of bordeaux,well ,you think, the locals drink it,why not.honestly i'm not kidding,none of us had any problems in years


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## caspar (Jul 5, 2012)

I did in my former life, but not now! 

Actually we do, but only after cleaning and thoroughly sterilising the tank when we buy the vehicle and on a regular basis thereafter.


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> Never, nice warm slimey tanks breeding ground for bugs. Never shower in this water if standing for some time.
> 
> Use bottled water.



See whats happened now. The ignorant, on this issue, have arrived. And yes you do deserve that MORGANTHEMOON.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 5, 2012)

DRoader said:


> See whats happened now. The ignorant, on this issue, have arrived. And yes you do deserve that MORGANTHEMOON.



Why am I ignorant?


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## al n sal (Jul 5, 2012)

we drink from our under floor tanks too.


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## John H (Jul 5, 2012)

At this rate, there will be more threads in the "Black Hole" than outside it. :rolleyes2:


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## vwalan (Jul 5, 2012)

two good fills with chlorinated water then off you go . 
do very occasionaly have to fill up from river water in maroc but only use what looks clean .then use the filter . as soon as you find chlorinated its ok again. boil it well if not sure works . 
water kept in black plastic jerry cans keeps for ages . thats why the army have black plastic for water. all fresh water tanks should be made from black plastic ideally.


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## Byronic (Jul 5, 2012)

Northerner said:


> My lovely motorhome came with an inbuilt water filter system (3M) and I replace the cartridge every year or two so we've no worries about drinking the water. The lavatory uses water from the fresh water tank as well so we even flush with filtered water. How posh is that eh?[/QUOTE
> 
> Less wasteful to have filtered water supplying dedicated tap, wouldn't need to change filter as often.


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

I quite happily drink stream water in the scottish mountains, if it tastes good I drink it, not done me any harm - yet!


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> Why am I ignorant?



I wish I knew.


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

nah morgan's right,could be all sorts of **** lurking,who knows? i'm old school and i've got a different attitude to a lot of things,too easy to judge


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 5, 2012)

No come on mr ignorant droader you seem to be an expert.


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

He is right, especially after the recent Legionnaires scare


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## vwalan (Jul 5, 2012)

not really it as to be inhaled in a fine mist . possibly a shower but drinking it wont hurt.


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

He said that in his post


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## Admin (Jul 5, 2012)

I drink water from my tank and I sterilise it once a year after the winter drain down.
I change the water every seven days if has not been used, but normally just keep it topped up.

Tap water contains chlorine that kills all the nasty stuff in it. The chlorine also kills any bugs in your water tank as it sloshes around.

About 30% of commercial bottled water is tap water anyway, the rest you drink at your peril. The water may not be treated and is not tested for quality as much as tap water is.


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## John H (Jul 5, 2012)

n brown said:


> nah morgan's right,could be all sorts of **** lurking,who knows?



As a non-medical person, I am convinced that one of the reasons for the increase in allergies among young children is because they are shielded from things that they should be building up immunities to. Our attitude (and that of our children to our grandchildren) is that they should be allowed to eat (and drink) dirt and our offspring are as healthy as they come! Obviously we take reasonable precautions but, like so many things, there is no point in worrying too much about it.


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

The bottled water I take in my van is tap water anyway! From my tap at home


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> No come on mr ignorant droader you seem to be an expert.



Now that's offensive but don't worry because I don't have to report you. We have a slightly different view of things and I don't consider myself an 'expert'. 

I appreciate your wildcamping points in south wales but I don't think you know what you're talking about when it comes to potable water.


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## jacks906 (Jul 5, 2012)

Just managed to get an original water container for my 1970 bay looking at giving it a good clean out then install an use :-D

Is it just best to use soap n water to clean inside out? Or something after to double make sure also the original pump an tap will be used am i just as well cleaning them as normal too? 

Or is it best just to start again? Tap an pump look fine tank looks very grubby but its plastic so hopefully ok


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## Robmac (Jul 5, 2012)

As long as it's not 'Peckham Water'


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 5, 2012)

DRoader said:


> Now that's offensive but don't worry because I don't have to report you. We have a slightly different view of things and I don't consider myself an 'expert'.
> 
> I appreciate your wildcamping points in south wales but I don't think you know what you're talking about when it comes to potable water.



Well that shows how little you know then and what's that got to do with South Wales.

you've called me ignorant about a subject you know little about.


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## Admin (Jul 5, 2012)

You are actually more likely to get Legionnaires' disease from your washer bottle if you do not use a screen wash. Professional drivers in the UK are 5 times more likely to get Legionnaires' disease.


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

vwalan said:


> two good fills with chlorinated water then off you go .
> do very occasionaly have to fill up from river water in maroc but only use what looks clean .then use the filter . as soon as you find chlorinated its ok again. boil it well if not sure works .
> water kept in black plastic jerry cans keeps for ages . thats why the army have black plastic for water. all fresh water tanks should be made from black plastic ideally.



good point alan,when i noticed the algae growing in my containers i sprayed them black toute suite. i loved i mean  LOVED the learning curve,why else are old farts like us on this forum? to share


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## vwalan (Jul 5, 2012)

i was told that as well as stopping algie the black plastic also as a chemical in it to help keep the water . cant tell you what it is but what ever it works . have carried water in ex army carriers for months .


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 5, 2012)

n brown said:


> good point alan,when i noticed the algae growing in my containers i sprayed them black toute suite. i loved i mean  LOVED the learning curve,why else are old farts like us on this forum? to share



That is correct algae grows in tanks and as pointed out there is a process to keep this at bay.

There are many bugs that live off the algae and live in the water.


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## n brown (Jul 5, 2012)

John H said:


> As a non-medical person, I am convinced that one of the reasons for the increase in allergies among young children is because they are shielded from things that they should be building up immunities to. Our attitude (and that of our children to our grandchildren) is that they should be allowed to eat (and drink) dirt and our offspring are as healthy as they come! Obviously we take reasonable precautions but, like so many things, there is no point in worrying too much about it.



surely this is basic stuff.when i see people buying anti bacterial this  and that i just think.fell for that dincha?when i was a kid we didn't know what an allergy was,and cared less


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## DRoader (Jul 5, 2012)

Phil said:


> I drink water from my tank and I sterilise it once a year after the winter drain down.
> I change the water every seven days if has not been used, but normally just keep it topped up.
> 
> Tap water contains chlorine that kills all the nasty stuff in it. The chlorine also kills any bugs in your water tank as it sloshes around.
> ...



Hi Phil assuming you go abroad as well do you drain down and flush out your full water system when you feel a little uncomfortable with the water supply or only once a year whatever? Using the mains water supply available regularly I try to flush out everything when I can and make the most of whats available.


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## REC (Jul 5, 2012)

We dont have onboard water tanks so no problem!!:dance: I agree that children live a sterilised life and are better taking a bit of muck..its all relative though, I wouldn't use water from a stream but I would from a spring. Its what was upstream that worries me (dead sheep, someone putting fertlisier/ weedkiller on their land)! We often fill up with water from springs in Portugal and avoid the tap water in the villages. But then in the supermarkets 5l of water is 35cents.


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## ivecotrucker (Jul 5, 2012)

How the Other Half live !!.  WC flushing with filtered water & showering with bottled !!

Correct Phil, the quality regulations on bottled water are generally less onerous than on tap supplies.
We normally always drink unboiled straight from our own tank & never had the heeby jeebies; as VWAlan says, a fill every now & then from a chlorinated supply should fix most bugs. We have occasionally boiled before drinking if the source was dubious. I drain down & pump the whole lot out, including the boiler, on a roughly monthly basis. After 3 years service I stripped down our boiler & was amazed at the amount of scale; approx 15% of the boiler volume was scale. Being a self build we sourced a marine boiler with sacrificial Mg anode & that was approx 40% wasted at 3 years.


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## John H (Jul 5, 2012)

DRoader said:


> ..... assuming you go abroad as well do you drain down and flush out your full water system when you feel a little uncomfortable with the water supply ?



I have drunk tap water all over the world. The main reason why people get stomach upsets from drinking water abroad is because it is different not that it is more dangerous. After a few days your body gets used to those differences, so if you are going to Egypt, say, for a week it might be a good idea to drink only bottled water or else you will spend most of that week on the bog - but if you are going for several weeks or months then do what everybody else does and drink it.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 6, 2012)

John H said:


> I have drunk tap water all over the world. The main reason why people get stomach upsets from drinking water abroad is because it is different not that it is more dangerous. After a few days your body gets used to those differences, so if you are going to Egypt, say, for a week it might be a good idea to drink only bottled water or else you will spend most of that week on the bog - but if you are going for several weeks or months then do what everybody else does and drink it.



There's a different mineral content that can upset you but there are also water bourne pathergens.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 6, 2012)

runnach said:


> UV filtration, this will zap all the nasties.



And is that the end of it?


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## vwalan (Jul 6, 2012)

generally these days if its a tap for drinking it will be ok . even the srings in spain these days are regularly checked .there very often is a plate they stick check stickers on. you do have to be carefull if taking water in the agriculture areas as that might be recycled water . but its not hard to get potable water in all countries in the eu. 
its getting harder in morocco as the street taps are disapearing as every one gets on mains water. 
it happened the same in spain a few years ago . still some around . but i can always find water . i think its like free parking .the more you do it the more it becomes a natural thing . sometimes you may have to let the water run awhile as it may be in pipes opn the surface and after a while it cleans up . taste is very often the way or just rub it on your lips . if its horrible dont drink it . 
it is wise to always have some known good water in a container for emergency . if you need sterile water for washing cuts or contact lenses .use fresh pee . believe me .its ideal.


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## John H (Jul 6, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> There's a different mineral content that can upset you but there are also water bourne pathergens.



Now you're trying to blind me with science, aren't you? Is this a picture of a water-bourne thingy? :boat:

All I know is that I've managed to reach the age of 65 without too much time wasted thinking about what comes out of the tap in whatever country I'm in at the time - so you won't change my mind with all your talk of pathergens! :lol-061:


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## maingate (Jul 6, 2012)

We drink from the fresh water tank. No germs in there at all. The water we put in is chlorinated, we drain down on the way home and fill up before we set out again. Simples.

Allergies have little to do with the water you drink. If it is bad water you get sick, not allergic. I have drank dodgy water and got the runs at first but you soon build up antibodies. I had a perfect set of them (antibodies that is) until I got Malaria and it wiped the bloody lot out. :mad1:


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 6, 2012)

John H said:


> Now you're trying to blind me with science, aren't you? Is this a picture of a water-bourne thingy? :boat:
> 
> All I know is that I've managed to reach the age of 65 without too much time wasted thinking about what comes out of the tap in whatever country I'm in at the time - so you won't change my mind with all your talk of pathergens! :lol-061:



Yes John that's what they look like. lol.

You are right John we do build up a resistance to some water bourne bugs but not all some are pretty nasty.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 6, 2012)

maingate said:


> We drink from the fresh water tank. No germs in there at all. The water we put in is chlorinated, we drain down on the way home and fill up before we set out again. Simples.
> 
> Allergies have little to do with the water you drink. If it is bad water you get sick, not allergic. I have drank dodgy water and got the runs at first but you soon build up antibodies. I had a perfect set of them (antibodies that is) until I got Malaria and it wiped the bloody lot out. :mad1:



What happens then do you have start building antibodies again?


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## John H (Jul 6, 2012)

maingate said:


> Allergies have little to do with the water you drink. If it is bad water you get sick, not allergic. I have drank dodgy water and got the runs at first but you soon build up antibodies.



My defence is that I did say I was speaking as a non-medical person, so I got the terms wrong but I don't think it alters the basic point that we try to protect ourselves too much when we should be building up immunities. I'll try not to get malaria, though!


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## vwalan (Jul 6, 2012)

bet you had a good dose of lariam to get rid of the maleria . that as its problems . dont know what to do about maleria . i,m told just take loads of larium if you should get it .but dont take a course before as it as bad side problems . always take some with us if heading south in africa orover to asia . glad i havent caught it yet.


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## John H (Jul 6, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> You are right John we do build up a resistance to some water bourne bugs but not all some are pretty nasty.



I'll just growl at the nasty ones. Or refer them to one or two members on here - that'll scare the life out of them :raofl:


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## maingate (Jul 6, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> What happens then do you have start building antibodies again?



Yes mate, that is why when the Malaria is under control you feel like sh1t for months before you feel normal again.

Hi Alan, are they still using Lariam? I thought it would have been banned by now due to the side effects. It works though. I got some from my doctor to try before I went to Angola (my jobsite was in the Guinness Book of Records as the worst place on the Planet for Malaria, and they were right :mad1. I used to find myself at my Mothers house, 10 miles away from my house. I intended to drive there, I just could not remember doing it. Weird tablets man.


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## vwalan (Jul 6, 2012)

hi maingate .as far as i know .i do have some here about 8 months worth if you used them on a course . but they do say dont take them for longer than 3-4 months .as a precaution . i know they arent cheap. think that lot was 200quid between two of us . after we got them another doctor friend said dont use as a course just take them if you get it . luckily we never got it . didfnt get to angola .only as far as  nigeria . think we were lucky . used nets and coils . etc . 
as for tummy upsets you cant beat doing your own cooking and looking after your own hygene . lots dysinfectant etc . amazing what you learn on your travels though . never liked putting iodine in the water tastes crap .but have drank lots of it . orange juice helps kill the taste. .


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## Tbear (Jul 6, 2012)

No water is perfect. the sooner you drink it after it leaves the tap the better. The longer and the warmer it is stored in plastic the greater the chance of chemicals leaching out of the  plastic. Which chemicals and how harmful they are who knows. Better to avoid them.

Boiling water kills germs but does not get rid of chemical contaminants.

If milton is good enough for babies bottles then its good enough for your tank.

There is not enough chlorine in tap water to sterilise your tank but a good flush out with good clean water will do it the world of good.

Cutting out the light may stop the algae (storing in black plastic) growing but does not effect many pathogens.

Alan,
Your urine is microfiltered but the "outlet" may be contaminated. Think where it's been and been stored. Then think cystitis. If in doubt use boiled water on cuts and grazes.

I agree with the old school that it does no good to keep kids in a sterile environment but on the other hand drinking contaminated water kills huge numbers of people every year

Richard


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2012)

Word of advice from someone who's been there. Never drink water in developing countries. Just because the natives have drunk it all their life doesn't mean that they've developed some kind of resistance to it and neither will you.

Children in these countries can carry up to 1000 hookworms, roundworms and whipworms in their bodies, which cause  anaemia, stunted growth and other debilitating conditions. One gram of faeces can contain 10,000,000 viruses, 1,000,000 bacteria, 1000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs and seven out of 10 childhood deaths in developing countries can be attributed to just five main causes of which one, diarrhoea, is caused by water-borne pathogens.

When I went to Tibet, where the water has very nasty parasitic worms called Giardia and Cryptosporidium, I took one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aquapure-11...7AG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341559583&sr=8-1

I only needed to use it a couple of times as we were able to obtain bottled water, which is guaranteed to be free of any nasties.


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## paganplasma (Jul 6, 2012)

*tank water*

Hi,We do drink water from the tank but clean the tank once a year ,we also keep bottled water on as well because our tank is only 100ltr ,cheers dave


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## Smaug (Jul 6, 2012)

Another old schooler here, who has yet to eat his full peck of dirt, so he ain't dead! 

For over 60 years I have been pic-nic'ing, camping, sailing, caravanning & motorhoming in several different vehicles & boats, most with built in tanks of stainless steel & plastic (clear or black, hard & soft). I (& my family) have always drunk from the onboard supply, filled from taps or springs. Never had a problem as a result, altho the kids (& now G-kids) occasionally do themselves in with dirty fingers in their mouths! :lol-053:

I don't drain the tank in my boat, but I do let it run down at the end of the season, but as the boat is used all year round I don't let it run down too much for fear of freezing, I just drain the pump cos the sea helps stop the tank freezing. The van is only drained for over wintering. There is a good hatch in the top of the tank so it's easy to check for algae or other discolouration.

There is so much advice around (often commercially motivated) that it's easy to be frightened, if I ever do have any doubts, I will clean the tank with Milton, rinse it & test it by taste. But each to their own, that's what's so interesting about Fora, everyone has a different experience. Long may it remain so - but share & care, without the bickering please.


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## John H (Jul 6, 2012)

Northerner said:


> Never drink water in developing countries.



....take copious supplies of the old vin rouge instead! 

On a serious note, this quote is a bit sweeping. Many developing countries that I have visited have very good water treatment services and it is safe to drink their tap water. Other's don't. In others it is safe to drink tap water in the large urban areas but not in the countryside. The other side of the coin is that I have a friend who picked up giardia in a developed country from what appeared to be a clear mountain stream. It is not hard to find out where it is safe - I am living proof of that (never had anything but a minor upset from drinking water that is "different" - and that not very often). It seems to me that the best advice is that we give to people who are worried about break-ins etc - take reasonable care but don't get paranoid about it.


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## AndyC (Jul 6, 2012)

I fitted the General Ecology Nature Pure filter to a dedicated tap in our current van and the previous one, we use that for drinking, coffee making, cooking and teeth brushing - all other water use comes straight from the tank.

We've travelled as far as Western Sahara and Turkey and never had any problems with stomach upsets.

Wherever possible we fill with the local tap water, sometimes the locals have told us that it's not suitable for drinking (mainly in Morocco and Albania) but we never suffered any ill effects.

AndyC


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## maingate (Jul 6, 2012)

Northerner said:


> Word of advice from someone who's been there. Never drink water in developing countries. Just because the natives have drunk it all their life doesn't mean that they've developed some kind of resistance to it and neither will you.
> 
> Children in these countries can carry up to 1000 hookworms, roundworms and whipworms in their bodies, which cause  anaemia, stunted growth and other debilitating conditions. One gram of faeces can contain 10,000,000 viruses, 1,000,000 bacteria, 1000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs and seven out of 10 childhood deaths in developing countries can be attributed to just five main causes of which one, diarrhoea, is caused by water-borne pathogens.
> 
> ...



Thats fine if you are only there for a short time. When working for long periods it is not so practical. There were no shops in the bush to buy bottled water anyway. 

I work on the one month rule. After a month you are more or less acclimatised to the heat (except for odd areas, think Death Valley, USA), You have had the runs and your body has some resistance to the local bugs. You follow the Medics advice on things like where you drink/ don't drink water, where to bathe/not bathe. The most important thing is that you take great care when having a shower. I was actually taught how to shower in hot climates and how to examine myself for scratches, spots, rashes, anything at all really. Every wound, however insignificant, had to be treated by the medic. A pal of mine was more relaxed about things until he found some grubs that were coming out of his ankle.


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2012)

maingate said:


> Thats fine if you are only there for a short time. When working for long periods it is not so practical. There were no shops in the bush to buy bottled water anyway.
> 
> I work on the one month rule. After a month you are more or less acclimatised to the heat (except for odd areas, think Death Valley, USA), You have had the runs and your body has some resistance to the local bugs. You follow the Medics advice on things like where you drink/ don't drink water, where to bathe/not bathe. The most important thing is that you take great care when having a shower. I was actually taught how to shower in hot climates and how to examine myself for scratches, spots, rashes, anything at all really. Every wound, however insignificant, had to be treated by the medic. A pal of mine was more relaxed about things until he found some grubs that were coming out of his ankle.



The point I was making is that there are some things to which your body can never develop a resistance. That's why even the locals dies from diarrhoea and are infested with worms. A vast number of deaths in developing countries are because of water-borne parasites. The only way to be certain is to boil it for some time or use a guaranteed filtration system. I can assure you that the last thing that you want in your system is giardia, a very nasty parasite. You can get used to the symptoms and they will eventually ease but you'll remain a carrier for life. Giardia was common in Tibet, which is why I took a filtration system.


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## robert b (Jul 6, 2012)

*fresh water tanks*

i treat my on board fresh water tank twice a year with a strong dose of milton tablets also dump water after every outing that way i have fresh water every trip out. i caught E COLI H 157  last year by stroking a cow and it  nearly killed me.  this made me sit up and realise how we take things and viruses for granted all ways be very careful.


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## champstar (Jul 6, 2012)

We use our tank for water if not sure about source etc we use water purifing tablets added to the tank.

What makes people think bottled water is better than tap?  Water borne pathogens are easily spread and all it takes is someone at the bottling plant to have or had a GI infection and pass it on. You cant taste the bugs.
It takes around 5 cysts of cryptosporidium to cause and infection...the average infected person will shed hundreds of thousands of those at the time of the squirts. Shigella bacteria which cause dysentry, as litttle as 50 individual bacteria can cause infection and again hundreds of thousands of bacteria are shed.

Free running water, unless from a contaminated source is the best.

The point about urine is correct it is normally sterile but only if mid stream ie not the begining or end bit as these will pick up bacteria. If it tastes of sugar beware of diabetes:tongue:

So the point is it is all about risk, properly dispensed or collected water should be ok if stored properly but if in doubt use purifing tablets or filter etc.

It is true the more the body is exposed to things you can build up tolerance but some bugs are so varied that there are over 2,000 different types of Salmonella so you can catch it again and again.


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## n brown (Jul 6, 2012)

basildog said:


> He might have a bidet? As my daughter used to tell people a Bum wash !
> And you would not want those nasty pathogens we keep hearing about near your nether regions now would you ?



a french mate pointed out to me that all british bidets were back to front,either you operate the taps behind your back,could be nasty,or you sat ,like a fool,facing the wall ! gave him a laugh though


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2012)

I think that the clue may be in the first few words of my opening sentence? "My lovely motorhome came with an inbuilt water filter system (3M) ..........."

It's a standard fitting in my 'van and is a very neat installation in a cupboard in the garage. The cupboard houses the water pump, the Truma Combi heater and the filtration system. If you think I'm going to remove it and install it in the valuable space in the kitchen or shower compartment so that the filter will last another few days you can think again!

Anyway, it's nice to know that all the water for showering, teeth cleaning and face washing is pure. And as the lavatory flushes from the main tank I'm not tempted to buy that perfumed flushing stuff.


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2012)

basildog said:


> I find the problem most motorhomes have is a lack of pressure can you still get a half decent shower with the water going through a filter first as this one we have is rubbish !
> I changed the pump on the last one and that improved it no end !



I shower all the time in the 'van and all the water outlets are very powerful. Perhaps it's my kind of filter system? The cartridge is very large but bayonets out to be swapped in seconds and I would imagine that it's a doddle to fit for the D.I.Y. types.

I'm a B.I.Y. man (bugger it up yourself).

Water - 3M in-line water filter kit - great tasting, cleaner water. Inhibits bacteria


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## Byronic (Jul 6, 2012)

I realise the thread is about drinking water, but nevertheless I'll take the opportunity to mention that in Morocco the further south you go the greater the chance of contracting Bilharzia not through drinking water but via skin lesions when contacting fresh water eg  river and oasis swimming. It occurs in a lot of other countries of course but Maroc is the most likely country where members of this forum could come across it, treatable but narrrrrsty.


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## AndyC (Jul 7, 2012)

*Bilharzia*



Byronic said:


> I realise the thread is about drinking water, but nevertheless I'll take the opportunity to mention that in Morocco the further south you go the greater the chance of contracting Bilharzia not through drinking water but via skin lesions when contacting fresh water eg  river and oasis swimming. It occurs in a lot of other countries of course but Maroc is the most likely country where members of this forum could come across it, treatable but narrrrrsty.


A useful warning. 

We were aware of this possibility but not being keen swimmers we have never swum in any of the rivers or oases. Not really warm enough in the winter anyway! We even took advantage of the donkey ride across the river to see the kasr at Ait Benhaddu, rather than paddling which a lot of the visitors do. TBH I doubt if it would be a problem there, as the main centre for infections was further south, but just in case....

AndyC


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## Byronic (Jul 7, 2012)

AndyC said:


> A useful warning.
> 
> We were aware of this possibility but not being keen swimmers we have never swum in any of the rivers or oases. Not really warm enough in the winter anyway! We even took advantage of the donkey ride across the river to see the kasr at Ait Benhaddu, rather than paddling which a lot of the visitors do. TBH I doubt if it would be a problem there, as the main centre for infections was further south, but just in case....
> 
> AndyC



Can't say categorically but you are probably correct in stating that it wouldn't be a problem around Ait-Benhaddou, the rivers rise in the Atlas so probably too fast flowing, and cold. Not so sure about the oasis pools though, virtually stagnant at times.
A great drive the Draa Valley route isn't it....... those red towns? Until there's a flash flood that is and the River Tidili becomes the River Very Bigili along with its mates!!!


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## Tbear (Jul 7, 2012)

champstar said:


> We use our tank for water if not sure about source etc we use water purifing tablets added to the tank.
> 
> What makes people think bottled water is better than tap?  Water borne pathogens are easily spread and all it takes is someone at the bottling plant to have or had a GI infection and pass it on. You cant taste the bugs.
> It takes around 5 cysts of cryptosporidium to cause and infection...the average infected person will shed hundreds of thousands of those at the time of the squirts. Shigella bacteria which cause dysentry, as litttle as 50 individual bacteria can cause infection and again hundreds of thousands of bacteria are shed.
> ...



Running water direct from a spring may well be ok but from a stream. Who knows how man dead sheep are floating in it up stream or how may slurry pits have overflowed into it.

The point about urine is not correct. MSU samples are the cleanest as most of the muck in the urethra is flushed out at the beginning of peeing but not all. If it where true then nobody would ever have suffered from Bladder or Kidney infections.

No system is perfect, even boiled water can then be drunk from a contaminated glass so the use of common sense and best practise is always best


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## fishy & Nina (Jul 7, 2012)

Right...that's it!

I've read all the posts on this subject, emptied the van of water.......from now on it's whisky only?:banana:

Please don't start on about liver disease etc.............................:wacko:


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## Byronic (Jul 7, 2012)

fishy & Nina said:


> Right...that's it!
> 
> I've read all the posts on this subject, emptied the van of water.......from now on it's whisky only?:banana:
> 
> Please don't start on about liver disease etc.............................:wacko:



If you like your whisky on the rocks watch out for the ice, that could be made from suspicious water. Don't have nightmares!!!


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## fishy & Nina (Jul 7, 2012)

Byronic said:


> If you like your whisky on the rocks watch out for the ice, that could be made from suspicious water. Don't have nightmares!!!



Thanks for the warning - for me it's a strictly 'neat' drink!:angel:


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## Smaug (Jul 7, 2012)

fishy & Nina said:


> Thanks for the warning - for me it's a strictly 'neat' drink!:angel:



Sheesh (sharp intake of breath) that's mouth & throat cancer territory then. :scared:

:lol-049: :lol-049: :lol-049:


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## arkrite (Jul 7, 2012)

not been m/h long but caravaned for years and always drunk water from tank in tea and coffee anxke ik esnty dunzt nee amee arms butt him ho ka simse i for dr smirnof

when in doubt drink vodka
tastes funny in coffee though


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## champstar (Jul 8, 2012)

_The point about urine is not correct. MSU samples are the cleanest as most of the muck in the urethra is flushed out at the beginning of peeing but not all. If it where true then nobody would ever have suffered from Bladder or Kidney infections._

I do beg to differ on this point...if you have a urine infection of course it will be contaminated. However, the reason a MSU is required for microbiological analysis is in a normal ie uninfected sample this will be sterile. But I can say that urine is one of the best media for growing bacteria in.
There is no part on your body that is sterile infact you have more bacteria in and on your body than there is cells that make up your body:scared:

The route to a bladder or kidney infection is usually starting from the outside end of the urethra and the bacteria migrate up this into the bladder. Females are more susceptible as they generally have a shorter distance between the anal region and tip of the urethra. 
A lot can depend on which way you wipe:wave:

Im not trying to be pedantic but bacteria is a subject I do know very well.

The whole point is make sure everything is clean...wipe that tap with alchol wipes and let it run for a few seconds before filling your container or van.

You are unlikely to grow legionella bacteria in your vans water system as these are found in large cooling systems such as poorly maintained hotel hot water systems and large industrial cooling towers as has been suspected in the recent Edinburgh outbreak.


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## SUGGY (Jul 8, 2012)

*Onboard Water*

We have just had 4 weeks in Holland and France and used the tank all the time with no problems ,

I do put a couple Milton tablets in the 160 Litre tank once a month but cannot say i have really tasted them, certainly no worse than our local tap water,


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 8, 2012)

champstar said:


> _The point about urine is not correct. MSU samples are the cleanest as most of the muck in the urethra is flushed out at the beginning of peeing but not all. If it where true then nobody would ever have suffered from Bladder or Kidney infections._
> 
> I do beg to differ on this point...if you have a urine infection of course it will be contaminated. However, the reason a MSU is required for microbiological analysis is in a normal ie uninfected sample this will be sterile. But I can say that urine is one of the best media for growing bacteria in.
> There is no part on your body that is sterile infact you have more bacteria in and on your body than there is cells that make up your body:scared:
> ...



I don't agree with you on the legionella point.
Legionella is in all water and would be in motorhomes water tanks. It is not only cooling towers that cause legionella outbreaks.

It's not the fact that legionella is present but at the optimum temperature and with slime or algae to feed on the legionella increases to dangerous levels. these are then dangerous if the droplets from a shower or spray are taken into the lungs. Also chlorine will kill the legionella but the chlorine gasses off and the water can be re-infected


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## Byronic (Jul 8, 2012)

If you only motorhome in Blighty why would you bother with a water tank anyway? All that weight.

Step outside in your dirty clothes..... thats the laundry done.
Take a bucket out, there's your drinking water...no bugs bacteria or dead sheep.
Take a leak..... (best forget the bucket) soon diluted and instantly recycled.

It's guaranteed you will not have to wait more than 30 minutes well not this year at least.

As Mark Twain said a summer in England is the best winter I ever had.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 8, 2012)

I should add this usually affect older or sick people.


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## maingate (Jul 8, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> I should add this usually affect *older* or *sick* people.



Are you having a go at me? :wacko:

It is you that is sick mate. :lol-049:


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## Tbear (Jul 8, 2012)

champstar said:


> _The point about urine is not correct. MSU samples are the cleanest as most of the muck in the urethra is flushed out at the beginning of peeing but not all. If it where true then nobody would ever have suffered from Bladder or Kidney infections._
> 
> I do beg to differ on this point...if you have a urine infection of course it will be contaminated. However, the reason a MSU is required for microbiological analysis is in a normal ie uninfected sample this will be sterile. But I can say that urine is one of the best media for growing bacteria in.
> There is no part on your body that is sterile infact you have more bacteria in and on your body than there is cells that make up your body:scared:
> ...



"uninfected sample this will be sterile"  Followed by  "There is no part on your body that is sterile" Am I the only one that is a bit confused by what you are saying.


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## champstar (Jul 8, 2012)

Tbear said:


> "uninfected sample this will be sterile"  Followed by  "There is no part on your body that is sterile" Am I the only one that is a bit confused by what you are saying.



The Bladder is in your body not on it....The outside of your body covers all your skin etc but also the inside of your mouth through the alimentary canal (stomach and intestines) all the way to your rectum.

I did not mean to confuse you or others all I was trying to say is under normal circumstances and if collected properly then urine should be sterile.

The point about legionella I do not take as a motorhome hotwater tank is usually heated to around 70 degress and is constantly flushed thereby making the risk of Legionella minimal..fresh water tanks do not provide conditions for this bacteria to grow. Legionella bacteria are present in the environment but the conditions are not right to provide infectious risk to humans as it has to be inhaled in water droplets ie showers in big complexes like hospitals and hotels or in steam vapour given off from cooling towers.

You have more chance of contracting Salmonella, cryptosporidium and enteric viruses from water than legionella.

The thread asks who drinks from the onboard water tanks and if the tanks are clean and proper precautions taken when filling them then I in my informed opinion think they are safe but and it is a big but proper sanitary conditions should be taken at all times.


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## Viktor (Jul 8, 2012)

Good discussion in this thread and it simply justifies to me why I have the Lifesaver Jerrycan on board.

www.lifesaversystems.com


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 8, 2012)

Viktor said:


> Good discussion in this thread and it simply justifies to me why I have the Lifesaver Jerrycan on board.
> 
> www.lifesaversystems.com



Very interesting victor.


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## Tbear (Jul 8, 2012)

I take your point on Legionella. It has been found in domestic hot water systems and a shower has got to be a good way of distributing it, however it is rarely reported so must be very few cases.

The number of positive urine cultures from percutaneous nephrostomies, ureteric stents and catheter specimens of urine would suggest that by the time it reaches the kidney pelvis it will already be contaminated. Therefore by the time it has been stored in the bladder and passed out via human genitalia, the chances of it being sterile are a bit remote.

Lets not go down the route of the special treatments clinic

Richard


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## Viktor (Jul 8, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> Very interesting victor.



I have the smaller Bottle too which might be suitable for others unless of course you want to use it to top up your tank daily as I do with the Jerrycan.


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## vwalan (Jul 8, 2012)

i know i was always told on survival courses that peeing on a wound will clean it and help it . also an optician once told me if you need to clean contact lenses before inserting .again pee on them . we were going into the desert and had limited carrying capacity . every thing had to do at least two things . i,m sure you get the idea. 
as it is there are some lovely fresh water holes spread around the sahara.hardest bit is finding them . but when you do .its real nice water. very often just look for a stick in the ground and gently feel around there is very often a plate over a small hole and a bit of string on the end is a container hopefully full of water . drop it back down when you leave and make it secure from drifting sand .


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 8, 2012)

Viktor said:


> I have the smaller Bottle too which might be suitable for others unless of course you want to use it to top up your tank daily as I do with the Jerrycan.



It seems an excellent method paricularly for those visiting hotter countries.


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## Tbear (Jul 8, 2012)

vwalan said:


> i know i was always told on survival courses that peeing on a wound will clean it and help it . also an optician once told me if you need to clean contact lenses before inserting .again pee on them . we were going into the desert and had limited carrying capacity . every thing had to do at least two things . i,m sure you get the idea.
> as it is there are some lovely fresh water holes spread around the sahara.hardest bit is finding them . but when you do .its real nice water. very often just look for a stick in the ground and gently feel around there is very often a plate over a small hole and a bit of string on the end is a container hopefully full of water . drop it back down when you leave and make it secure from drifting sand .



Hi Alan,

I think the point is that you do the best you can with what you have got. If peeing on your contacts is all you can do rather than put dirty contacts in then its a choice between a possible eye infection and a probable one but no way am I going to recommend it as normal practise. Personaly I'm going to stick with glassesIt is also important that you make an informed choice not one based on urban myths.

Off topic I know but are you off back to N Africa this year or staying with us in this country.

Richard


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## vwalan (Jul 8, 2012)

hi, hopefully away but think it might be just spain and portugal. going to give africa a rest for a while . want to see some of the places havent been for awhile .and annoy ken on the way. hee hee
change is as good as rest so they say.


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## Viktor (Jul 8, 2012)

:idea-007: I suspect that will the current flooding across the UK the interest in the Lifesaver Bottle and Jerrycan has increased somewhat....wonder how many personal visits they are getting to their factory in Colchester.


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## Tbear (Jul 8, 2012)

vwalan said:


> hi, hopefully away but think it might be just spain and portugal. going to give africa a rest for a while . want to see some of the places havent been for awhile .and annoy ken on the way. hee hee
> change is as good as rest so they say.



I was hoping to try it when I retire in a couple of years but looking at the news and listening to friends talk about witnessed muggings, beggars and rising prices. Think I need a new plan Enjoy Spain

Apologies to OP for digression.

Richard


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## vwalan (Jul 8, 2012)

hi dont be put off .yes it is getting more expensive. but ther lives are changing .they arent that far behind us now. in fact in many ways they are in front .big industry as started and more is on the way . huge car and truck plants already happening . go and see it before its too late . i,m just trying to catch up on old haunts . good to see the change in spain etc . very often go through too quick. well slow but not enough time to see some things .i actually want to spend more time seeing if the decline in spain is really getting a grip or just the press going on .


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