Contaminated water

[TammyMark]

We just left a campground in west Texas that may have had contaminated water. We learned this from the Flying J down the road when we saw signs posted that the city water was contaminated, and coffee and showers at the truck stop were not available. We filled our water tank while at this campground. When we empty it, should we sterilize the tank? What product or method is good for this? The possible contaminate is salmonella.

[cavie]

Mix one cup of bleach to four gallons of water for a 40 gallon tank, one and a half cups of bleach to six gallons of water for a 60 gallon tank, and two cups of bleach to eight gallons of water for a 100 gallon tank. Add the bleach solution to your tank, then fill it up all the way with fresh water.

Drive around the block a few times. Run solution thru your coach as in winterizing. Drain the system and fill the tank with fresh water, flush the piping system and your done.

[TurnerFam]

I'm sure there's many times when most of us have brought onboard water that wasn't perfect.... I would see no reason to drain it unless you are drinking it directly, not using a filter, and not heating it thru your coffee maker.

[ducksface]

Do exactly as cavie typed.
Don't forget the water heater.
You're obvious not at peace about it.
I believe in HAPPY first.

[Bob Denman]

Better to spend some time now...

Than spend it in a Doctor's office later!

Bellyaches aren't a bit of fun, and it's best to avoid them.

Good luck!

[Popfla]

Personally, I don't trust the water in ANY campground. The only thing we use their water for is bathing, flushing the toilet, and washing dishes. Everything else we use bottled water or water we have brought from home. We even keep a bottle of water in the bathroom for brushing our teeth and taking meds.

[Bob Denman]

Yup! Two cases of bottled water in outside storage, at the start of each trip...

[ducksface]

Bottled for us also.
The choice was caused because we couldn't create a case(ha!) against it

[cavie]

I am good. I drank water from the garden hose as a kid! Played in the ditch water too!

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by cavie

I am good. I drank water from the garden hose as a kid! Played in the ditch water too!

As kids: we all drank from the creek that runs behind the house...
Nobody ever died, and our teeth never fell out!

[ArrrV]

Originally Posted by cavie

Mix one cup of bleach to four gallons of water for a 40 gallon tank, one and a half cups of bleach to six gallons of water for a 60 gallon tank, and two cups of bleach to eight gallons of water for a 100 gallon tank. Add the bleach solution to your tank, then fill it up all the way with fresh water.

Drive around the block a few times. Run solution thru your coach as in winterizing. Drain the system and fill the tank with fresh water, flush the piping system and your done.

Spot on--1/4 cup bleach (unscented) per gallon of water . Like Cavie said, drain your tank, add the solution and fill her back up with fresh water. Run the bleach-water thru all your faucets, shower (don't forget any outside ones) until you can smell the bleach in the water that is coming out. Let it sit in the "pipes" for several hours, then drain and refill. No need to risk salmonella poisoning.

[Bob Denman]

Question: I've seen folks in here that use hydrogen peroxide to clean out the water supply system.
Is there any advantage to using one or the other?

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Question: I've seen folks in here that use hydrogen peroxide to clean out the water supply system.
Is there any advantage to using one or the other?

$$$$$$

[WearyTraveler]

Originally Posted by cavie

$$$$$$

What’s the procedure? Same as with bleach? What’s the mix?

[cavie]

Originally Posted by WearyTraveler

What’s the procedure? Same as with bleach? What’s the mix?

Don't have a clue. Would never use anything but bleach. I know it works and it's cheap. The procedure would be the same. Dollar signs means cost difference.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by WearyTraveler

What’s the procedure? Same as with bleach? What’s the mix?

I believe that the mix ratio I saw, was one ounce of hydrogen peroxide to ten gallons of water.

[Beau388]

The water was probably contaminated with fracking fluid (non-ionic surfactants) or such and not coliform bacteria. No amount Clorox or hydrogen peroxide is going to reduce the contamination. The cheapest thing to use is Farmworks Spray Tank Cleaner from Tractor Supply.

Living above one of the most prolific natural artesian aquifers in the world and next to the Eagle Ford fracking field, we are familiar with fracking fluid.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Beau388

...Living above one of the most prolific natural artesian aquifers in the world and next to the Eagle Ford fracking field, we are familiar with fracking fluid.

I'll bet that stuff gets all over the fracking place: doesn't it?

[Popfla]

Originally Posted by Beau388

The cheapest thing to use is Farmworks Spray Tank Cleaner from Tractor Supply.

I definitely would not use that product in a fresh water tank ! It has some nasty side effects if ingested. See the following Safety Data Sheet.

https://raganandmassey.com/wp-conten...leaner_SDS.pdf

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Popfla

I definitely would not use that product in a fresh water tank ! It has some nasty side effects if ingested. See the following Safety Data Sheet.

https://raganandmassey.com/wp-conten...leaner_SDS.pdf

Every swimming pool and hot tub in the world had washing soda in it. I used it in my well water to reduce the acidly down to a 6.7 ph. Go to Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes and look at the pool/hot tub chemicals and look at the ingredients of PH-UP, sodium carbonate. When mixed with acid water, sodium carbonate becomes sodium bicarbonate or baking soda. If you are worried about sodium carbonate leaving a caustic residue a little acetic acid (vinegar) and water will neutralize it.