Safe water hose use and storage

[Hehebee]

Fairly new to RVing and can’t seem to find a good resource for safely storing water hose (both the one used to fill the fresh water tank and the one we use to hook up to water connection at campsite). About all I’ve seen is that we should connect the two ends of the hose when not in use. Still seems like it would be a breeding ground for grossness since it’s impossible to get all the water out.

How do you all handle your hoses to ensure safe water for your travels?

We do use drinking water safe hoses and sanitize the freshwater system in between trips, we also use the Camco taste pure filter - which I’m also unsure how to safely store and reuse. I’ve read that the technology of the filter supposedly keeps it from harboring bacteria. We do store it in a ziploc baggie in the refrigerator between trips. How long does it last and how do you tell when it needs to be replaced? So many questions!!!

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

You'll get a whole range of answers depending on people's tolerance.

Most won't do what I do (and yes I drank from the garden hose as a kid ).

I sanitize the FW tank about once a month with bleach... using the CDC guidelines.

I use drinking safe hoses... sanitized when I do the tank, more often in really hot weather.

I drain the hoses reasonably as best I can... gravity while I'm winding the hose.

Now... here's where I go off the rails where few dare to tread. I quit using the "blue filters" and instead built my own 2-stage .02 micron filter. That filters the tank water.

Then I installed a tankless reverse osmosis setup under the kitchen sink. That's our drinking water... 4 ppm. Used to use a Berkey... but takes too much storage

I'll give more details if interested.

 

[16ACE27]

safely storing water hose (both the one used to fill the fresh water tank and the one we use to hook up to water connection at campsite).

There's a difference? FW hose is FW hose is FW hose. Do what CN says when storing - gravity drain.
That's all we do.
We brush our teeth and shower with the water.
We drink bottled water.

KISS

 

[Hehebee]

You'll get a whole range of answers depending on people's tolerance.

Most won't do what I do (and yes I drank from the garden hose as a kid ).

I sanitize the FW tank about once a month with bleach... using the CDC guidelines.

I use drinking safe hoses... sanitized when I do the tank, more often in really hot weather.

I drain the hoses reasonably as best I can... gravity while I'm winding the hose.

Now... here's where I go off the rails where few date to tread. I quit using the "blue filters" and instead built my own 2-stage .02 micron filter. That filters the tank water.

Then I installed a tankless reverse osmosis setup under the kitchen sink. That's our drinking water... 4 ppm. Used to use a Berkey... but takes too much storage

I'll give more details if interested.

Thanks for the info.

How do you sanitize the hose? For the freshwater tank, we pour 1 gallon water mixed with 1/4 cup bleach directly into the tank using a funnel and then finish filling using the hose.

I wouldn’t want to run the bleach through the hose at the same time because the last time there was green stuff that came out of the hose after it sat all winter. Wouldn’t want that junk in the freshwater tank even if bleach went in with it! Would you run bleach water into the hose and let it sit then flush out before using it to fill the freshwater tank? I’m just not understanding the steps.

Thanks again!

 

[ghnl]

I drain the hose as best as I can after use. Then connect the two ends together so nothing can crawl in. Before the next use I turn the faucet to full on and flush lots of water through the hose before filling the fresh water tank.

We use the fresh water for washing & flushing. We drink bottled water.

 

[16ACE27]

Before the next use I turn the faucet to full on and flush lots of water through the hose before filling the fresh water tank.

Yep, we do that as well

 

[ducksface]

Amazon.com

$20 gets you a new hose each year.
Donate the old one as a charity write off.
Or even
if you take three trips a year buy a new hose each trip.
$60 per year to be worry free.

I'm not sure if we had a $10,000 bounty anyone could come up with enough proof of reason to worry to make any measurable percentage of a reason to worry.

 

[Lt Keefer]

I drain the hose as best as I can after use. Then connect the two ends together so nothing can crawl in. Before the next use I turn the faucet to full on and flush lots of water through the hose before filling the fresh water tank.

We use the fresh water for washing & flushing. We drink bottled water.

This is what I do as well. In my 35 plus years of RVing I have never sanitized a hose. I also don't use gloves or face shield when I dump my tanks. Life is complicated enough without adding superfluous things to the mix.

 

[Hehebee]

There's a difference? FW hose is FW hose is FW hose. Do what CN says when storing - gravity drain.
That's all we do.
We brush our teeth and shower with the water.
We drink bottled water.

KISS

I know I could use the same hose for both purposes but we need a longer one (100 ft.) at home to fill since spigot is pretty far from driveway. We take a shorter one on the road.

 

[ducksface]

Exactly as Keefer said a above;
I've never had drop of black on me and if I did I'd wash it off.
I'm pretty wild.
Once, I opened the microwave before the the timer went off. Man! That was a day!

 

[Lt Keefer]

I also fill my water tank with my garden hose.

 

[Number Three]

Fairly new to RVing and can’t seem to find a good resource for safely storing water hose (both the one used to fill the fresh water tank and the one we use to hook up to water connection at campsite). About all I’ve seen is that we should connect the two ends of the hose when not in use. Still seems like it would be a breeding ground for grossness since it’s impossible to get all the water out.

How do you all handle your hoses to ensure safe water for your travels?

We do use drinking water safe hoses and sanitize the freshwater system in between trips, we also use the Camco taste pure filter - which I’m also unsure how to safely store and reuse. I’ve read that the technology of the filter supposedly keeps it from harboring bacteria. We do store it in a ziploc baggie in the refrigerator between trips. How long does it last and how do you tell when it needs to be replaced? So many questions!!!

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

An EXCELLENT question! As a retired utility inspector, I agree 100% with your "breeding ground for grossness" assessment. They truly are that --- and not enough is brought up about the risks involved. I don't know what others do to sanitize/store their hoses, but can tell you what we do;

When packing the hoses breaking camp, we drain them as best we can by hanging them to drain (and dry, if time permits). I feel this is important for two reasons... #1, to limit that "grossness" and mold from breading in the first place. And #2, to keep the hose itself from deteriorating. For example, firemen must do this whenever they use fire hoses just to prolong their service life. If they didn't, the hoses would rubber-rot in short order.
Notice that, whenever a municipality has a water main rupture/repair, they always issue a "boil water" notice to the community supplied by the pipes connected to that system... This is vital, and for the same reasons that spurred your post here. Waterborne pathogens, such as e coli.. Typhoid can kill, and pipes are quickly-contaminated when they break underground like that.
[Digressed a bit there, sorry --- but I think it's important)]....

We then coil them up, screw the ends to each other and store them as normal.
When packing for the next trip, I take the hoses out and using a turkey-baster, shoot a tube or two of normal bleach (bleach with no 'cleaners', or additives) into them and re-connect the ends for transport.
At setup, I open the supply spigot and let the water run on the ground for a minute or so, to flush the campsite's pipes, then hook the supply hose to the coach.
I turn on the supply, go inside, and open the kitchen sink faucet for about 5 seconds, shut it off, and NOT USE ANY WATER for at least 15 minutes. But we usually let it sit for more like an hour, or until actually needed. This disperses the bleach throughout the entire system -- coach, hoses and all. Before using for cooking, we let the water run for about 30 more seconds. We only drink bottled water, both at home, or on the road, so this is not a personal concern for us.
IMHO, You're smart to limit your exposure to water-born pathogens like you are. I'll bet some RVer's DON'T.
A sink-only R/O filtering system would be something to look into also IMHO. We did. We use it for coffee water and cookin.

 

[ducksface]

...Typhoid can kill, and pipes are quickly-contaminated when they break underground like that.


typhoid fever is not common in the United States. Most cases in the US are linked to international travel, primarily to countries in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The chances of contracting typhoid fever while in the United States are very low.

can we quit saying unsubstantiated untenable things ?

I don't mind the fears people have.
I do mind when they are mongering those fears.

 

[ducksface]

I also fill my water tank with my garden hose.

Every drop of water we've used at our house, for the last 13 years, has passed through at least 100ft of harbor freight white garden hose.
(34,000 gallons of rain water collection tanks scattered across many acres being transfered)

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

"Grossness" takes time to grow in the proper environment... warm & wet with ample time is a perfect place. That's probably what happened to your winter stored hose.

I'm currently using a 50' Flexzilla hose... it claims "drinking water safe", BUT it's not NSF certified. To me, it's immaterial because of my filter process mentioned previously. I supplement that with an additional 25' blue hose, which I rarely need except for my filter hookup. The Flexzilla is easy to wind, is lightweight and doesn't kink.
I recommend using lengths of 25' hose screwed together... it's much easier to wrangle than long lengths of typical hose.

Here's a thesis on my sanitation process, and my recommendations...

Drain your hoses as best you can. Screw the ends together. Then store in a dark storage away from sunlight and heat.
If you use your hoses regularly... like at least once a week, just flush a few gallons of tap water through before you hook it up to your filter.
Same goes for your filter. If you use the blue Camco filters, shake the water out when you disconnect, then PUT THE CAPS BACK ON. Again... make sure you flush water through the filter if it's sat any length of time... a couple weeks in heat and IMO you're pushing it... especially if you drink that water... which I DON'T recommend.

Here's how I sanitize everything once a month (or so). First drain the freshwater tank. I put one end of the hose into the gravity fill on the freshwater tank. If you have multiple hoses, connect them all together. Then, before connecting the other end to the tap, I CAREFULLY pour about 3/4 cup of bleach directly into the hose... then connect it to the tap. Quick and easy.

Turn on the water... which flushes the bleach through all the hoses and into the tank. I completely fill the tank... turn on the water pump and run each faucet until I smell bleach. Turn off the pump and let it sit overnight. Then drain... flush the tank, drain. After the second fill of the tank, I turn on the pump and flush the plumbing.

At this point everything is sanitized and ready to use for showers and general use. For drinking it depends on the water source.

To repeat... from this point gravity draining your hoses and storing with ends together in a dark storage compartment should keep them okay for at least a week.

Something you might try for longer term storage is flushing a slightly stronger bleach solution through your hoses. I do this before winter storage... I drain the hoses VERY well at this point... then screw the ends together. Then they're stored in a shed outside in Ohio winter temperatures... anywhere from well below freezing to rarely over 50°F. In spring they're ready for the regular sanitation process... I've NEVER had any mold growth or nasty stuff.

 

[Lt Keefer]

You do you and I'll do me. I'm not going to complicate my life by following tediously insane procedures to use my RV. I'm gonna fry fish in it's kitchen if I want fried fish. I gonna poop in the toilet when I have to go #2. If I still smoked, I'd do that as well. I purchased my RV to be a mobile residence when I'm away from my country spread. Just about the only thing I wont do is fill my fresh water tank at a dump station.

 

[Number Three]

...Typhoid can kill, and pipes are quickly-contaminated when they break underground like that.


typhoid fever is not common in the United States. Most cases in the US are linked to international travel, primarily to countries in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The chances of contracting typhoid fever while in the United States are very low.

can we quit saying unsubstantiated untenable things ?

I don't mind the fears people have.
I do mind when they are mongering those fears.

Who's "mongering fear"? I resent that. But hey, 'mind' all you care to, then try placing a new water line anywhere there's still a functioning government body overseeing construction and permitting, and not chlorinate, or pressure-test that system before placing it into service!

A "boil water notice" isn't issued without a purpose behind it. That purpose is mainly disease prevention. Imagine an entire neighborhood showing-up at the local ER with mersa symptoms at once.... Not fun! BTW, Typhoid is global, as are most other waterborne diseases. It's just that since the late 1930's, we seldom see them make people ill in the USA due to proper cross-contamination and sanitizing precautions coupled with modern, timely medical treatment and facilities. Just ask The city of Flint, Michigan. or Carnivsl Cruise Lines about lax water treatment and distribution practices.... Yeah. --- They almost got away with saving a few bucks, didn't they?

Call that 'fear-mongering" if you want, but proper risk control and practical sanitation measures should never be an option whatsoever! Anybody who skips such precautions is playing "Russian Roulette" with the unseen. And that AIN'T just a 'humble opinion".

 

[ducksface]

I'm afraid of fear so I avoid it.
For some folks fear is a hobby.

 

[ducksface]

...since the late 1930's, we seldom see them(typhoid) make people ill in the USA...

did you read what you wrote above?

If you have to go back to the 1930's to make a point, you don't have a point.

Just admit the mistake of saying typhoid is a danger to rv folk and move on.

For others;
Carry on. Typhoid is not a worry(an expert said it's not a worry in the bold font above).

(With regard to water sources)...Imagine an entire neighborhood showing-up at the local ER with mersa...(due to water sources)


there's no evidence that mrsa is spread through municipal drinking water or even the Detroit River/recreational water.


For others: mrsa is not a worry in ANY water other than municipal waste water and then the threat is all but nonexistent/laboratory solely(gain-of-function type inducement)

I will take regard of any significant proofs in an amount to cause any significant worry.

 

[happy-THOR]

We use one of the "special" RV water hoses made to be drinking water safe.

We have a well and our outdoor hydrants are all straight untreated well water for the yard and garden...so it is considered non-potable. We use our indoor good water for the RV and use 5 gallon buckets to fill it.

Since we fill our water tank using a drill operated water pump, it is easy to run a little bleach/water at the beginning of the season. We then rise by running 5 gallons through the hose before travel and seasonal storage.