Drinking Water from watertanks

[sailorladd]

I have a 70 gallon doble fiberglass water tank below the V birth with two removable hatches on the lid. I have a breather for filling, ending in a U shaped pipe directly under the deck with some stainless screen tied to the end to keep critters out, and an inch and a half filler connected to the tank and surfacing in a water filler cap on deck.

Directly aft of this filler cap is a small (1/2 inch slat of teak) running across the narrow deck from cabin side to gunnel..Whether I am out at sea or in harbor/anchored, I use rain water to fill my tanks. I allow the rain to wash off all the dust and salty sediment and when I am sure it it is clean I will open the water cap and allow the rain water to run into the water trap. I keep an eye on the water level in the tank down below... lately I went high tech and started using a battery powered stud finder (carpenters know what this is and when it is about three quarters full I leisurely go above and close the cap...

I use a hand operated galley pump for my only sink and just below in the locker I have a sediment inline filter...which I clean out every now and then. I also clean my tanks out every year or three ... I have been using this system since 1985, still alive and kicking and the water tastes fine. If I suspect it is not good, I may pour a cup of bleach down the filler cap, trusting the boats constant movement to mix up the bleach.

I generally use the water for cooking, making tea or washing dishes, I drink it as well and that allows me to judge how the condition is down in the tank..

When at sea I follow the same cleaning procedure but found I can speed up the filling greatly by using the topping lift on my main to haul up the end of the boom while the sail is still on, and hoist it up so it collects the rainwater which funnels down onto the cabin just forward of the water trap and the lovely rain water gushes over the side, into the tank filler... Closing the cap I usually have a grand cold water shower using this mainsail funnel and hopefully the rain still lasts the duration of my shower (or crews shower)

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by surf_km55

... At any rate, I don't know if carbon filters are able to filter those protozoan bugs out, so maybe a resident filter expert can chime in. If the filters also breed protozoans, then maybe chemical treatment is the best route. Dehydration certainly isn't an option

The main protozoa of concern, in North America, are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. They may be found in water, following direct or indirect contamination by the faeces of humans or other animals. They can survive for long periods of time, in the environment, and are highly resistant to chlorine-based disinfection.
Many but not all available home water filters remove Cryptosporidium. The absolute 1 micron filter will more consistently remove Cryptosporidium, than a nominal 1 micron filter. Some nominal 1 micron filters will allow 20% to 30% of 1 micron particles (like Cryptosporidium) to pass through.
Filter manufacturers may pay to have their filters tested, to see if they remove Cryptosporidium or Giardia. To find out if a particular filter is certified to remove Cryptosporidium, you can look for “NSF 53” or “NSF 58”, plus the words “cyst reduction” or “cyst removal” on the product label information.
Because filter testing is expensive and voluntary, some filters that may work against Cryptosporidium may not have been tested. If you chose to use a product not labeled “NSF 53” or “NSF 58”, select those technologies more likely to reduce Cryptosporidium, including filters with reverse osmosis, and those that have an Absolute (NOT Nominal) pore size of 1 micron or smaller (Microfiltration or Ultrfiltration).

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by MJH

a64pilot,

Once chlorinated, how long is that water good for...the entire season?

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

Of course not, the chlorine wouldn’t carry over from one tank to the next, refill with non chlorinated water, and free chlorine drops a lot.
However most water supplies at least in the US are chlorinated.

However chlorine off gases of course, that’s why you can smell it, and as it off gases it leaves the water.

Then I wonder just this much chlorine is actually necessary if the water is clean to begin with? For five years I’ve filtered all the chlorine out that I can with a carbon block block filter on the hose and run the water very slowly as the more time it’s in contact with the carbon, the more chlorine will be removed.
Then of course when cruising we use watermaker water exclusively, and never, ever add chlorine.

Now, I completely understand why chlorination of public water supplies ma y be necessary, I for one do not want to return to the good old days of Cholera etc. but I have to think that maybe chlorination of water, especially at levels that are way beyond 1PPM may have negative effects on your health if done long term.

So after 5 years we still have no ill effects and near as I can tell we have no real issues.
If we leave the boat for a couple of weeks, there is an initial sulphur smell from the water that stops pretty quickly. I believe there may be some bio growth in the hoses, but it’s not gotten any worse and caused no problems and I believe the cure may be worse than the disease.
I see no harm if you so desire in shocking a system, especially if it’s not been used for an extensive time, but as far as regularity tossing in a quarter cup of bleach into the tank, unless your getting suspect water, I don’t think that’s a good idea, and if your water supply is often suspect, I’d look into a watermaker.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The main protozoa of concern, in North America, are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. They may be found in water, following direct or indirect contamination by the faeces of humans or other animals. They can survive for long periods of time, in the environment, and are highly resistant to chlorine-based disinfection.
Many but not all available home water filters remove Cryptosporidium. The absolute 1 micron filter will more consistently remove Cryptosporidium, than a nominal 1 micron filter. Some nominal 1 micron filters will allow 20% to 30% of 1 micron particles (like Cryptosporidium) to pass through.
Filter manufacturers may pay to have their filters tested, to see if they remove Cryptosporidium or Giardia. To find out if a particular filter is certified to remove Cryptosporidium, you can look for “NSF 53” or “NSF 58”, plus the words “cyst reduction” or “cyst removal” on the product label information.
Because filter testing is expensive and voluntary, some filters that may work against Cryptosporidium may not have been tested. If you chose to use a product not labeled “NSF 53” or “NSF 58”, select those technologies more likely to reduce Cryptosporidium, including filters with reverse osmosis, and those that have an Absolute (NOT Nominal) pore size of 1 micron or smaller (Microfiltration or Ultrfiltration).

For clarification NSF is National Sanitation Foundation. It is a certification testing organization. NSF Certification is recognized around the world. If you go into any commercial kitchen virtually everything is NSF certified. I designed a shelving system for use in a fast food chains kitchen It was a requirement that the system was NSF Certified. During the process I was asked to change the type of screw head used because the one originally used allowed to much dirt to collect in it. With the change I received the NSF Mark which had to be on each component.

[mstr_cmdr]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I liveaboard and make all the water. I do so because most of the coastal water supplies from marinas and fuel docks doesn't have a pleasant taste. My tanks are galvanized steel from about 1972. I add a small amount of chlorine to the tanks before making water and have filters at the galley sink for any bad tastes. Seems to work. Guests love the water & ice.
This business of raising children in sterile environments means they won't have immunities to common bacteria found everywhere. I grew up around farms and the forest, drinking well, spring and creek water. In Oregon, we have Beaver Fever in the streams. Makes city people have the runs. But I can drink any moving clear water. Even in Vietnam, the Philippines or Panama. I don't get sick and maybe have one cold every 5-10 years. And I'm an old geezer that oughta have one foot in the grave.

Bottled water? Really - why? Two things come to mind:
a. If you had to pay the same price for diesel that you are paying for bottled water, you would be looking for an alternative.
b. What happens to the discarded and empty plastic bottle?

Just a small point Lepke - we ALL have one foot in the grave; the trick is not to put the other in there any time soon.

[endlesspursuit]

Wow, A lot of good info here. I need to go rest my brain. Thanks All.

[Jimmyhenry]

We have had 0.5 micron filters for 30 years. And we have had some very questionable water come on board. And no taste. And no sickness.

More recently we had our water maker. And in Tonga we had the WM go down. So I also set up a filter for getting water in from whatever source.
Keep it simple. It woks.

[adamant2]

Stop adding to plastic pollution.1. Make sure your tanks are clean
2.Fit an in-line filter in your drinking water quality hose between dock and boat.
3.Fit water filter under your sink.


Worked for us living aboard for ten years while we cruised SE Asia and Pacific. When you get to Asia and there are no marinas the local villages always have filtered water for sail which they will deliver by canoe if necessary
Pete. Ex AdamantII

[Captmatt]

We will put a few drops of bleach in the tanks and use a pitcher type water filtration for drinking and cooking water. Has worked great like this for years.

[SailFastTri]

I haven't read any posts yet about chlorine's effects on our bodies. It messes with your microbiome -- just like antibiotics, and THAT is at the heart of our immune systems and might lead to colorectal cancer ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4505894/ ). We should be filtering chlorinated city water to remove chlorine, and if you shock your tanks you should flush the tank after.

I'm not going to try to pass myself off as an expert on human microbiome but I have read about this and you should too. Do a web search on human microbiome. It is critical to our well-being that we try to maintain a healthy gut flora.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, adamant.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

I haven't read any posts yet about chlorine's effects on our bodies. It messes with your microbiome -- just like antibiotics, and THAT is at the heart of our immune systems and might lead to colorectal cancer ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4505894/ ). We should be filtering chlorinated city water to remove chlorine, and if you shock your tanks you should flush the tank after.

I'm not going to try to pass myself off as an expert on human microbiome but I have read about this and you should too. Do a web search on human microbiome. It is critical to our well-being that we try to maintain a healthy gut flora.

gee, a few Billion people seem to be able to survive it

[surf_km55]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The main protozoa of concern, in North America, are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. They may be found in water, following direct or indirect contamination by the faeces of humans or other animals. They can survive for long periods of time, in the environment, and are highly resistant to chlorine-based disinfection.....

Thank you for that comprehensive report. This is one of the more informative threads I've seen on CF and I am grateful. Now I know my 10 & 5 micron filter cartridges for the Fore Pure faucet I have are only 1/2 measures. My forthcoming watermaker install offers some comfort, but I understand that bugs are everywhere.

I just read of a 10 YO child who died from Naegleria fowleri amoeba in the brain after swimming in a warm fresh water river in Texas. Lots of people swimming there, only she got ill. The bug transited her nasal passage. A beautiful child stolen by a fv<#ing microorganism. The sense of tragedy transcends words.

Drink well my friends!

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by tobo

As we get our new Hanse 508 by the end of this year we are thinking of the use of the water tanks for drinking purposes as we are really tired of hauling aboard these masses of PET bottles every week. Reading an article in the German Yacht recently I was impressed by the UV-system "Double Blue" of Instant Trust Marine (InstantTrust Marine - Always clean drinking water on board) . Does anybody have experiences in this field?

Not sure what's the problem with drinking water from your tank. Just keep the tanks cleen. There are some good products on the market which remove the taste.

[cndcruiser]

My new boat (in 2015) has 2x 400l fibreglass water tanks, internally coated for potable water storage. For the first 18 months, the water had a very strong smell and taste. I installed a standard 10" cartridge filter at the output of the fresh water pump, so even the showers have filtered water!. I use a 1025silverGAC5, Silver Impregnated GAC Carbon Filter, 5 Micron (AU$35) which I replaced initially every 4 months and now that the water from the tanks is free of odour and taste, I replace the cartridge every 12 months. This cartridge is 5 micron so is suitable for low pressure and high flow rates. There is a slight reduction in water pressure, but the water quality is excellent. A very simple and effective solution. Here is the product description:

1025silverGAC5 Silver Impregnated Granular Activated Carbon Filter 10″ x 2.5″ Standard size is suited for uses on Tank Water.

Unlike standard GAC carbon, silver impregnated carbon filters stop the growth of bacteria in the filter cartridge.

Ideal for situations where you need a higher flow rate or have low water pressure.

GAC will also reduce Chlorine, Chemicals, Bad Taste and Odours for cleaner, healthier, great tasting water.