Tainted city water December 01, 2019, 09:38:59 am On Friday, the residents of the neighborhood next to ours reported that their tap water had a brown color. This could be considered a cause for concern. Late Saturday night, the city sent a warning to everyone's cell phones and land-line home phones that the city water is not safe to consume (really?). The city will be supplying bottled water to residents beginning this morning. I wonder how long that line will be?It is a comfort to know that I sterilized our Lazy Daze water tank a few months ago and have only filled it with filtered water, using the .5 micron filter that I have described previously. After we returned from our last trip a few weeks ago, I filled the Lazy Daze with filtered water in preparation for the next trip, as well as unlikely occurrences such as this.With 50 gallons of filtered water in the motorhome, I think I will pass on the long line for bottled water. Yet another benefit of having an RV.Harold 6 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #1 – December 01, 2019, 02:02:40 pm Harold,This is just one more reason to have an “Escape Pod” as Larry mentioned. Also, it is a great reason to have the two stage water filtration system that we purchased. I’ve seen YouTube videos of respected RV owners who use the “Camco Blue” water filter and I cringe at the thought. Better than nothing? Maybe but just slightly so. Bottoms up.Kent 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #2 – December 01, 2019, 02:24:41 pm "Better than nothing? Maybe but just slightly so."Fifteen years and counting... go Camco!Anything else = Overkill ?
Re: Tainted city water Reply #3 – December 01, 2019, 02:49:35 pm Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - December 01, 2019, 02:02:40 pmI’ve seen YouTube videos of respected RV owners who use the “Camco Blue” water filter and I cringe at the thought. Better than nothing? Maybe but just slightly so. This is all we use, and not even that when filling only at home. However, all water for drinking, cubes, cooking, etc, goes thru a faucet filter in the coach. if the water source looks or smells bad, or has an accompanying warning, we fill elsewhere.Steve
Re: Tainted city water Reply #4 – December 01, 2019, 10:43:15 pm My problem is the weight of water and the 31ft 'escape pod'. Generally the tank has 10 gallons, otherwise it's likely to be overweight.For boondocking, I'll fill it at the last waterhole before boondockville. YMMVjoel 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #5 – December 02, 2019, 01:28:33 am Sunday evening and the "boil all water" notice is still in effect. The city bottled water station ran out of water by 8:30 am and cars were backed up for at least a mile. I'm glad we filled the LD and we are using the filtered water from our tank. The city provided additional water later in the morning.Giardia cysts are 7 - 10 microns in diameter. The Camco water filter removes chlorine taste and traps particles larger than 100 microns. Everything else passes through. If one unfortunately to contracts Giardia, as my family did in the early 1990's and my brother's family did a few years later at a campground in the central Sierras, one's perspective abruptly changes. http://epi.alaska.gov/bulletins/docs/b1990_04.pdfThis paper describes a Giardia source in municipally treated water in Alaska.Cryptosporidium cysts are 4.5 to 5.5 microns in diameter and are resistant to the chlorine levels used by most U.S. municipal water treatment plants. CDC - DPDx - CryptosporidiosisNotice that the CDC cites "camps" as a source of Cryptosporidium outbreaks.Most city treated water in the United States is clean and potable, but campgrounds that draw from wells or streams are suspect.While camping overnight in Telkwa on the Bulkley River in British Columbia, I asked the girl at the office where they drew their water from and whether it was safe to drink. She said that they drew it from the river and treated it. I asked where they dumped their treated sewage and she acknowledged that it went back into the river, but downstream from the drinking water intake. I asked if she knew where the town upstream dumped their sewage and she just stood looking at me with a dumb look.Blue Camco filters are nearly ubiquitous in RV parks and do a good job of removing chlorine taste and large sediment particles. They do not, however, remove ANY pathogenic organisms. If the Camco filter has been OK so far, it hasn't had to remove any small pathogens. If a pathogen smaller than 100 microns enters the Camco filter (and virtually all bacterial, viral, and protozoan pathogens are smaller than 100 microns), it will safely come right out the other side and into your tank.Kent's water filter system will remove chlorine taste, sediment particles, bacterial, protozoan, and viral pathogens.I'd always rather be lucky than good. But careful prevention can extend your luck.Harold
Re: Tainted city water Reply #6 – December 02, 2019, 01:44:45 am The Camco filter shown here is rated to 20 microns which will remove a few larger bacteria, algae, and adult protozoans, as well as sediment and chlorine taste. It is important to recognize that it WILL NOT remove bacterial cysts, protozoan cysts, or viruses. All of these things will result in the host becoming infected and sick.https://www.amazon.com/Camco-TastePURE-Flexible-Protector-40043/dp/B0006IX87SHarold As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Tainted city water Reply #7 – December 02, 2019, 12:22:56 pm Quote from: Blueox25 - December 02, 2019, 01:28:33 amWhile camping overnight in Telkwa on the Bulkley River in British Columbia, I asked the girl at the office where they drew their water from and whether it was safe to drink. She said that they drew it from the river and treated it. I asked where they dumped their treated sewage and she acknowledged that it went back into the river, but downstream from the drinking water intake. I asked if she knew where the town upstream dumped their sewage and she just stood looking at me with a dumb look.HaroldOne takeaway from a water pollution control class in the early 70's" The most effective way to ensure adequate waste water treatment is to locate the treatment discharge UPSTREAM from the municipal water intake" . few election-based municipalities do so.The takeaway from a parasitology class about the same time: Don't eat, don't drink, don't breathe and you will be safe from parasites.Joel 3 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #8 – December 02, 2019, 12:50:54 pm In years past, both my wife and myself have suffered from various water borne diseases, the reason why we have used high-end water filters for decades in both the LD and for our backcountry trips, domestic and foreign .Our LD has a deck mounted faucet, connected to replaceable filter capable of removing giardia cysts, the illness my wife excels in finding . Our LD's filter, from the RV Water Store, filters down to 1 micron.FYI, Guardia is a wonderful way to quickly lose a lot of weight, in a very unpleasant manner. As for the Camco style filters, I rarely bother. I check the water before filling to see if it looks and smells good.The cheap filters remove little except for the one thing I don't want removed, chlorine, the chemical that helps maintain the cleanliness of the water. From our hot tub days, I know chlorine does not last long and we don't notice the taste or smell of it when the tank has been filled for more than day or two. Whatever chlorine may remain is removed by the onboard filter. Inspecting the inside of our LD's fresh water tank with an endoscope shows next to no sand or other sediments, not bad for 17 years of use.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #9 – December 02, 2019, 01:46:16 pm "The takeaway from a parasitology class about the same time: Don't eat, don't drink, don't breathe and you will be safe from parasites."Or as Tom Lehrer sang back in the Sixties:If you visit American cityYou will find it very prettyJust two things of which you must beware:Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!Pollution, pollution!You can brush with the latest toothpasteThen rinse out your mouth with industrial waste. 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #10 – December 02, 2019, 02:01:01 pm I too use the filters from the RV filter store and subscribe to have replacement filters sent automatically every 6 months. Very pleased.
Re: Tainted city water Reply #11 – December 02, 2019, 03:31:19 pm Can you share the system model/brand/setup you use currently Larry?Gary
Re: Tainted city water Reply #12 – December 02, 2019, 03:56:17 pm I've used this filter (from the RV Water Filter Store; good company!) for several years. (Not the same one, of course! I replace it every year. ) https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/A5203.htmNo water goes into the tank without being filtered, even though I use the tank water only for washing and showering; I don't drink, cook with, or water the animals with the tank water. I use purified 'bottled' water at home and on the road; the area where I live has nasty water, perhaps bacteriologically 'safe', but heavily chlorinated and often murky. 2 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #13 – December 02, 2019, 04:06:53 pm Quote from: jakester1201 - December 02, 2019, 03:31:19 pmCan you share the system model/brand/setup you use currently ? Omnipure QCR kit, with faucet and two replacable filtershttps://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/C3202.htmQCR Filter used.https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/A4002.htmLarry 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #14 – December 02, 2019, 04:31:24 pm I have used this system for years with our Lance camper, fifth wheel, the Lazy Daze and various boats.https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/SYSTEM_ESSENTIAL.htmAfter using it to fill the LD tank, I take it apart and put it back in its plastic tub with the hoses and pressure regulator. The water that it makes is so clean that we stopped buying bottled water and use this filter to make our bottled water for when we are out and about on trips. We can drink the water from the faucet in the Lazy Daze and make coffee from it.I also use this to fill the water tank on our boat. I typically fill the 100 gallon water tank 5 times a year as well as the various times that we use the lazy Daze. We were out in the Lazy Daze 53 days last year and need to refill the water about every four to five days. This level of use requires a filter change once a year at a cost of less than $30. I carry a set of replacement filters when we are on trips, which was really useful when the foul water at the KOA in Buena Vista Colorado clogged the filter.Harold 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #15 – December 02, 2019, 04:53:03 pm Great responses and recommendations, thank you. Before adding good clean water, I would add some chlorine (a few capfulls) to the existing LD water tank and drive around a bit to mix, run the super-chlorinated water through the facets and then drain it all out before adding the new water. What do others do?Best,Gary
Re: Tainted city water Reply #16 – December 02, 2019, 05:17:09 pm I fill my water tank from my triple filtered water at home and also add a small amount of purogen. I still dont drink the water, I bring water from home in 1 gal milk jugs. I do have a filter system for when we are out and can only use water from the campground tap.
Re: Tainted city water Reply #17 – December 02, 2019, 06:41:46 pm "...and my brother's family did ... at a campground in the central Sierras..."Only one USFS campground in the Sierra, of which I'm aware, has the old manual pumps. Like the one I used on the farm as a kid to fill the watering trough for the cows. The pumps (2) are located within 100 yards of the Stanislaus River and hardly 30' above the water table. The water, when it finally gets to the surface is not only cloudy but downright muddy. I wouldn't even try to wash my hands in it, it's that bad.Less than a quarter mile away I know of a spring that flows out of the river bank, cool, clean and refreshing. I've been drinking from it for 40 years. Yet it's flow is insufficient to fill more than a cup at a time.
Re: Tainted city water Reply #18 – December 02, 2019, 07:23:55 pm We use the same filter system as Harold to fill our tank and also have an Omnipure Q-Series Under-sink Filter System with its own own faucet. We also add Purogen to the tank. For short trips we carry bottled water.Charles 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #19 – December 02, 2019, 10:07:52 pm I also use the same system as Harold except I place a camco filter upstream to capture the big crap so my main filter stays cleaner longer. I also fill my tank and add 1/2 cup chlorine and let sit for a day. I then drain it and refill prior to any trip.Bob 1 Likes
Re: Tainted city water Reply #20 – December 03, 2019, 09:39:59 am Look and smell is NOT a path to finding out if water is ok to drink. Unless your eyes can see stuff as small as .5 micons. Many many places have water that smells like surfur that is very safe to drink, just smells bad.glen
Re: Tainted city water Reply #21 – December 03, 2019, 07:22:12 pm I agree with Glen. Things you can't see can harm you.There is also the whole issue of what it going into the water that the municipalities are not screening out (they typically have tested for only a handful of things, if that much - used to be 1 or 2 but I think that has grown). Things that people have in their bodies such as medicines (blood pressure medicines, estrogen medicines, statins), etc. get eliminated back out and it ends back in the water system. Most of us don't want/need even small levels of these in our bodies and municipalities do not test nor clean them out of the water. There was a bunch of news articles on this decades ago. We do cooking and drinking with highly purified water, not just for the taste but for health reasons. Filtered municipality water we use for cleaning including showers.Jane
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