Don't drink the water?
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Some of us who don't drink the water from our caravan pipes don't pay extra for mineral water. We simply draw our drinking water directly from the site tap. In our case this means we fill up a kettle when we need it, and we keep a jug of cold water in the fridge.
Isn't caravan delivered via a large 'plastic' container, and the pipework in our caravans plastic? Not only that but the plastic and the water heats up and cools down during the course of a day, and may be contaminated by dust and debris.
We are concerned enough, usually, to use 'alternative' facilities if we find a toilet cubicle where the toilet bowl is filthy. But in reality how likely is that to do us any harm if we wash our own hands..........? However it would seem that many are happy to continue to drink the water which comes through pipes which may be contaminated by a slime which smells and looks equally as bad as the worst sorts of soiled toilet! (And isn't removed by Puriclens, Milton or similar).
Can anyone say with absolute confidence that drinking the water isn't doing them any (longer term) harm. Probably no because caravan water is rarely, if ever tested!!
To me, this is one of the things the Clubs should be doing, not just testing the latest wind-up torch, or windbreak!
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Slight aside, but have any of you ever used the plastic sports bottles with the pull up drinking bit? Even if you give them a good washing out they soon get a build up of sludge inside the tops, usually white but have seen them black with a local football teams.
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yes, agree, advice in schools in is that they are only to be used as a one off, especially the chepaer very soft ones, and not even kept till the next day if there's water left over
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Sometime back in March a tv programme tested some sportsmen so water bottles of various types as I recall the only one seriously germ ridden belonged to a man with an assistance dog that often retrieved it for him and the bottle hadn't been washed in a while!
I have a Brita bottle but so far haven't got found to putting the little filters in!
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This is an interesting and worrying article in the press
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Based on the advice from my biologist sister, I have followed option 1 as a caravanner and as a motorhomer for 27 years. However, I do use food grade hose, I do clean my water system every year, I replace the water every four days, and drain the tanks when not in use. When my wife had an unsettled stomach caused by something she ate the night before departure, she did drink water direct from the site tap until she recovered.
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Perhaps you might show this picture to your biologist sister, because we did just that too, but I would guess our water was replaced more often. Here's a photo showing the state of our 'water grade' pipes which were full of 'biofilm' (bacteria, algae, and fungi which smells like a combination of mold, faeces and rotting fish) and this was after those cleaning sessions.
Apologies for the size of the picture - perhaps someone with more savvy can enlarge it.
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I have watched this post from the sidelines and resisted posting. But feel I should probably throw my hat into the ring.
I would imagine that regular testing is in place and records are kept, with copies possibly kept on site.
There will be risk assessments and safe systems of work kept onsite for water management.
There should also be some form of planned maintenance in operation.
These are a requirement for places used by the public or employees.The water that comes from the main supply should be wholesome and fit for drinking.
There should be back-flow protection on site to prevent contamination from the site to the mains supply.
The only place this can fall down, Is with the end user, with People connecting inappropriate hoses and fittings to the system. Even "food grade" pipes will have have growth in them if people do not drain them out completely after use and flush them out on a regular basis. The treatment that the water supply companies add to the supply, will normally keep the systems safe. But your neighbour's Poor practices could put others at risk in extreme circumstances.
So in reality, filling a separate water container from the tap wont be any purer than from inside the caravan or Motorhome, if the system is keep clean and maintained.
I personally, use bottle or filtered for drinking and tea making, as I prefer the taste when not at home, as there is a noticeable different taste in other supply areas.0 -
ValDas picture is both horrific and frightening and cannot be ignored. However, I never cleaned the water system in my previous MH which I owned for 6 years. I had installed a second water tank under one of the seat boxes, T ed into the water pump that was conveniently in the same place. When I removed it, after 6 years the pipe work that I could see was completely clean and Biofilm free.
I have read somewhere that Milton actually causes Biofilm as the bugs it leaves behind feed on the bugs it has killed. Puriclean, apparently, doesn't cause Biofilm.
I must confess, that although I have stated that it is option one for me, I am a little concerned that the water pipes (and even the wiring loom) are cable tied to the Alde heating pipe work on my new MH. I am not sure whether the heat from the pipes warming up the water pipes is a bad thing or not.0 -
I am happy in most circumstances to take water from the tap and filter it to drink and I also suspect my caravan pipe work is more or less ok. However a tummy upset when away from home is a real pain so I will continue to filter or use bottled. Recently on a site in France all the site taps had short lengths of hose on them in varying states of old age so I always ran a little water befor filling up!
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Without trying to sound condescending,
In my opinion, I would say that what Pippah45 has posted, is a first class example of good practice.
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When I come across a hose attached to a water tap I usually try to remove it before filling my container. If its a tap that I haven't observed anyone using for a while I usually run some water off first.
I don't think it is good practice to have a hose permanently attached to a drinking water tap.1 -
I'm with Roger on this one. We tend to use the tap water for washing up, washing us, and for use after it has been boiled ie for tea. On the odd occasion when I drink water, it is always bottled. However, quite often, when we want a cold drink it is a pre-bottled soft drink - I'm into Orangina at the moment...... or something not soft.
David
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It amazes me on club sites how many MH owners use the MH point waste water rinse hose to fill their tanks and just shove it straight into their filler. That hose is there to rinse out the waste drain or grate and spends much of its time just laying on the floor picking up goodness knows what. Doesn't see to bother some folk....0
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If people are on an IPad they can just tap on the picture then enlarge it by stretching.
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Thank you John Connell I do try to use some sense, I have had one lot of poisoning on this trip that came from quite a posh lunch on Easter Day in France! Since my stomach tends to be on the delicate side anyway why risk pipes that could have become pretty hot in the sun. My aquaroll is in the sun on this site as I wanted to view the lake if I had pitched with it to the north a good view of the loo block! The picture ValDa has tried to post if it's the one I have seen before is enough to put any sane person off using their caravan pipe work to drink! Those with constitutions like my Labrador can get away with quite a lot!
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Of course not, one should use a glass. Are we barbarians?
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And another 4 year old thread resurrected!!!
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Someone liked a post - that's all it takes.🤷♂️
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Agreed, but you have to find it to like it. Who digs back 4 years just to like a post and not contribute,
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They’re in your ‘latest discussions’ section W, we all have access to them👍🏻
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