Don't drink the water?
I recently posted a discussion about cleaning out the pipework in a caravan. At the time, I asked people not to post about whether it's ok to drink the water from a caravan's taps.
Time to switch things up and play devils advocate. Before I do, let's first make an assumption...
I'm talking here strictly about UK sites. The water from the taps "Should" be safe to drink as it's supposed to be supplied by the water companies. Their mistakes aside, that should mean it's ok to drink the water straight out of the tap. Yay for British standards.. Of course there are always local things that could compromise this, but for the sake of this discussion, I want to leave that bit alone and make the assumption that the water comming from the tap at a camp site is good and safe to drink. (or at least, it's been boiled in a kettle, just to be sure)
This leaves 2 options.
1. Filling a 40L aquaroll or similar, and using that as the sole source of water whilst in the caravan.
2. Having the aquaroll/etc. But also having seperate bottled water.
3. Having the aquaroll/etc. But also having seperate bottle for drinking water.
What's the differences?
1. All water comes from the aquaroll, it's fed through the caravan water system. Drinking water comes from the tap, just like at home. Lovely and convenient.
2. Washing water/cleaning water from taps. But the drinking water is bought from a supermarket etc. Not quite as convenient, but the drinking water should be pretty much guarenteed.
3. Washing water from the taps. Drinking water comes from the site tap, but is not fed through the caravan pipes.
Let's make some more assumptions, just to keep things simple. In all cases, the Aquaroll and caravan water system is flushed out and disinfected every so often, so the caravan water system is in good working order.
The water supplied from the site taps is drinking water.
I'm not going to say which of the above, I do. Let's discuss 
Comments
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Another vote for 3.
Dont forget MHs with on board tanks hold enough water for several days. This increases the time the water is stored and could increase the risk of contamination due to bacteria multiplying. Another reason to use a separate drinking supply.
You do what suits you Astro. There are no rights or wrong as it's all about our old favourite - choice.
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I was also thinking option 3. Using a couple of bottles of water that I picked up at the super market. Use the water then refil at the site tap.
Do like the idea of adding a britta water filter to the process. That'll help to make the water a more consistent no matter where you are in the country. Going to pick one of those up just for the van.
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i must be brave....option 1.
all our water comes from the MH fresh tank, IMHO thats what its for.
we Brita filter the water used for tea/coffee which then gets boiled...
its the same wherever we are vanning....
we use aires from time to time and i certainly wouldnt be outside filling a kettle/jug from the same tap i would fill the fresh tank with....
obviously opinion is likely to be split on this one but we've never had any sort of 'tummy trouble' from using the tank as our source...
perhaps we still have some resistance to 'the little blighters' and are rarely caused any trouble anywhere in the world, whereas some who 'couldnt possibly drink the water......' seem to be the first to 'get struck down.....'.
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What a nation of wimps we have become that this is considered worthy of discussion.
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Sorry but we have never had a problem even abroad our van is serviced ever year and we look after our water system and that includes the filter the waste pipes are flushed out thus removing any risk of contamination and we are still alive and healthy
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Web have used water from the caravan tap for the 34 years we have had one and never had a problem (touch wood). Only the last three caravans have had a filter so before that we drank unfiltered water and used it for dilute drinks. Either we have been lucky or the risk is very low.
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Option 3 with a difference.
Drinking water, is drawn from the site tap into a clean 5 litre container and this is used for cold drinks, making hot drinks, washing vegetables, cooking vegetables, and washing salad stuff. Caravan water is used only for hand-washing after using the loo during the night, or possibly soaking laundry prior to washing it and we use only a very small external water container which is refilled daily so it's never left standing.
Showers, washing up, and laundry is always done in the site facilities and we use site toilets during the daytime hours.
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Option 3 for me as well.
We buy a 5 liter bottle of whatever water is available in local shop/supermarket, when empty refill from site tap (also decant into 2ltr bottle into fridge for drinking, brushing teeth)
Aquaroll for washing up, hand wash and showering
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Option 3. We used bottled water to drink and always get fresh water for the kettle when we want tea or coffee, it's no great hardship. Given that water can lay in pipes for months on end it's hardly fresh?
David
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Option 1 for me, just fill up the onboard tank and use the water straight from the taps as I do at home. I don't sterilise the tank or pipes, also just like home, and have done so for 25 years.
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Option 3, with a bottle from home to get the first brew on the go plus the the britta filter which we also use at home for drinking water.
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Water lays in the ground for millions of years and is still considered fresh.
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I've been caravanning since 1982, only once used Milton to clean the pipes, I, made a mistake by using too much liquid, never bothered again. We have never had the slightest tummy upset, where I live all our water comes from the Bunter Sandstone in North Nottinghamshire, we always drink cold water from the tap and I'm 70 years of age, but each to there own.
Maybe the older generation had to rough it in their childhood, so gained resistance to the things that young people suffer with now.
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dm, surely it would stagnate unless it was ice, I thought water needed to flow to keep its freshness unless treated.
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It has nothing to do with age, Notite.
To me, it's a common sense measure not to drink water that's been standing in a tank/container in nice warm temperatures for hours/days but each to their own.
This issue has little relationship to drinking running tap water at home where it's not stored.
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Liquid for wash and flush can come from anywhere - liquid for drinking comes from the brewery or distillery.
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You know it's not possible, EJB.
Anyway, it wouldn't matter in the slightest what the result was as I'd still do it my way and I suspect that goes for everyone else as well. We all do what's right for us as individuals.
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