Black slime in water pump pipes
When taking the water pump off today I happened to notice black slime around the end of the pump going imto the pipe. I had wondered where the black bits in the water was coming from. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of this?, I cant see any way to remove
the pipes they are held in by a sort of clip but I cant see how it comes apart, its a crystal maxi pump.
Thanks
Comments
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If you are talking about the blue pipe from aquaroll to caravan side, this is a more common situation than most people realize. For many hours at a time water is standing in the pipe with the sun shinning on it so any bacteria will multiply.
I removed my clips, which have to be broken and cannot be put back on. I replaced them with food grade jubilee clips, stainless steel, that will not rust. I can now take them off from time to time and run a long narrow brush through the pipe to clean it, then soak with milton. I do it about once a year, many people never clean their water pipe.
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I think this is why many of us don't drink the water from the aquaroll - a lot using bottled water or just bottles of water filled from the site taps. I sterilise my system every year but I don't drink or cook with aqua roll water. This seems to happen
more recently than it used to years ago. Have you checked the soap drawer of your washing machine? They never used to blacken up but they do now.0 -
We don't drink the water unboiled. However, have never had any problems cooking with it, washing up, or using it to clean teeth etc. As far as the soap drawer is concerned, I think a lot of the difference will be as a result of the move towards washing at
lower temperatures, than we did years ago.0 -
We found exactly the same thing when we dismantled our pump when it stopped working. Immediately we stopped drinking water through the aquaroll, even boiled. We always use water from a 5 litre container in the caravan for drinking, including tea and coffee.
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I was going to add that this was AFTER we'd cleaned the aquaroll and water system by running Puricleans through it, which we did before each trip to France (twice a year) so don't rely on cleaning solutions removing this unless, as Nuggy suggests, you brush
through the pipework.0 -
It probably does kill everything, but it's not pleasant to think you have even invisible bits of slime floating about in your hot drink. Boiling also kills slugs, but I wouldn't want to find one in my cauliflower.
We think it's safer and healthier all round to drink water which is freshly drawn from the tap, into a clear clean bottle that you can wash thoroughly when you feel you need to. .
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It probably does kill everything, but it's not pleasant to think you have even invisible bits of slime floating about in your hot drink.
Boiling also kills slugs, but I wouldn't want to find one in my cauliflower.True, but the sort with shells on are very nice with garlic butter.
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I dread to think what they look like inside. luckily we fill a water filter jug up at the stand pipe for drinking water. Will try getting jubilee clips and then giving them a clean, hate the though of even cleaning my teeth using the water from the pump.
and as for slugs and snails...I think I'll pass!
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And as for the washing machine gunk... At least I don't drink it
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We don't clean our teeth with the aquaroll water either. In fact these days we don't even use an aquaroll. (Anyone need a spare aquaroll??)
We caravan in France, and site facilities are usually good, the weather usually better, and so we use the 'facilities' block for everything. It does save lugging water backwards and forwards and avoids the issue of slime in the pipes. .
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We use a filter jug just like at home. We live on the edge of Dartmoor and the water tastes 'orrible!
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Yes, our caravanning in that caravan (with the pipe shown) is always in France, so the Aquaroll heated up during the day and cooled down at night. In addition, because we use site facilities a lot, I think our water sat in the Aquaroll for a long time. A friend (Microbiology professor) looked at my pictures, and advised us not to drink the water again so we haven't done! My health has been much better since. I had strange neurological (brain and nervous system) symptoms, which I've not had since we stopped drinking the caravan water. I actually had to have MRI scans, CT scans, and more - now I have no problems again.
I'm not trying to scaremonger, but it's long been a bit of a hobby horse of mine to convince the caravan industry and Aquaroll that they ought to run proper microbiological tests on what comes out of caravan taps!
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I am so glad you saw this post ValDa! You always put the case so well
. I am rather fussy about how my water tastes as well as being concerned
about the pipes! This makes a lot of tap water unpleasant to me including water in Tavistock that has definitely changed in chemical flavours since my daughter moved there 4 years ago.As to washing machines they are now mainly cold feed I believe as of course was the loo systern that my daughter had full of black gunk in Norfolk. I think it all indicates more bacteria in the water supply and of course it is not advised to be given to
new borns Now without boiling.0 -
The 'black slime' is a biofilm and while unsightly is generally completely harmless. Given the right conditions (warmth) it will grow and simple chlorination will remove it. There's pleanty of information available on it - for example http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/assets/domestic/files/you and your home/water quality/swfactsheet8.pdf
Stagnant water is where danger really lies. Leaving water in an aquaroll for several days is not a good thing to do. Make sure you change water frequently and run taps before using. Don't forget your showerheads as well which are an ideal breading ground
for legionella. I wonder how many folk get mild flu like symptoms when first using their 'vans after they've been stored for a while.0
