Drinking Water from watertanks

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Whoa! Are you sure you've got that right? That's a ton of bleach. At home I use 1-2 cup of bleach per 500 gallon tank.

We follow US EPA recommendation of 8 drops per gallon.

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and...drinking-water

[Celestialsailor]

I think there is a loss of communication here the quart of bleach for 50 gallons was to shock the tank, killing everything then after 6 hours flush it out and refill. The residual bleach left in the tank will act as a sterilization for the new drinking water. I use a filtration system to remove the bleach taste. When I fill each of my 50 gallon tanks, I give them a cap full of bleach each.

[Mike OReilly]

Yes… sorry. I thought the question was about shocking. This is a high-concentration, but short exposure treatment. It’s definitely not meant as a maintenance thing.

We shock our water system at the beginning of each season. This is after a winter of sitting mostly empty, with residual antifreeze in it.

I don’t find the need to add any chlorine/bleach during the season, but I’ve only ever used quality first-world water.

[MicHughV]

I can't remember when or where I developed this habit.....but like others here, I add a capful of bleach to my water tanks every time I fill them.
Prior to reaching the faucets, the water goes thru' a charcoal filter membrane

After 30 plus years, can't say I've ever had a problem doing it this way.

Interestingly, my first time in the B'mas many years ago, I noticed most houses had a cistern to catch rainwater from the roof of their respective home. This was, as far as I know, their sole water supply.

[seandepagnier]

I never used the water tank in the boat. I just keep it empty always. I use 5 gallon and 1 gallon containers.

[NYSail]

I clean my water tanks 2 times a year…… one big one at the end of the season, then a small check and treat mid season. Water goes though a Decatur filter and we 👨*⚕️ no and cook. Wash and brush teeth straight from the tank. As others….. still alive!

Greg

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

I never used the water tank in the boat. I just keep it empty always. I use 5 gallon and 1 gallon containers.

Makes sense for day sailing, but not for any serious duration. We use our tank water for everything, including direct-from-the-tap drinking. Just clean the tank and fill with good water. If in doubt, add maintenance bleach.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Makes sense for day sailing, but not for any serious duration. We use our tank water for everything, including direct-from-the-tap drinking. Just clean the tank and fill with good water. If in doubt, add maintenance bleach.

I've been living onboard since 2011. Never used a water tank: never want to. Never used bleach.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

I've been living onboard since 2011. Never used a water tank: never want to. Never used bleach.

If it works for you, then great. but living aboard and cruising off the dock for long periods are quite different things. There’s no way I could carry enough water in jugs for my cruising. But even if I could, why would I when there’s a perfectly good container already built into the boat?

Carrying bottled water makes no sense to me. Just keep your tank clean. It’s not hard to do.

[rslifkin]

We used to carry bottled water for drinking, but when I had some water system work to do anyway, I determined that carrying water was a pain, so I put in some filters to improve water quality for drinking. Since then we've been drinking the tank water. Much easier and simpler to deal with, no plastic to deal with, etc.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

We used to carry bottled water for drinking, but when I had some water system work to do anyway, I determined that carrying water was a pain, so I put in some filters to improve water quality for drinking. Since then we've been drinking the tank water. Much easier and simpler to deal with, no plastic to deal with, etc.

Same here. We started using tank water for drinking and cooking after I installed a high quality filter. Bottled water is OK for day sailing or weekending but if you cruise that's a lot of heavy stuff to lug when provisioning, not to mention the plastic waste, which is shameful.

[Mike OReilly]

I’m with you fellas (the last two [emoji6]).

[Gard]

No matter how clean and chlorinated the water is that you put in the tank is, it will at some point get algie and bacteria. Rinsing it out once a year with chlorinated water won't get it totally clean. You need to get in there with brush and sponges to remove the film mechanically. Do i do that? Only when I purchase a used boat, then never again (presupposing I can get into it). After that, only a yearly ribse with chlorine. I'm alive still.

Aluminum tanks look beautiful on the outside, on the inside - not so much. Supposedly a terrible naterial for storing water. It is very common tank material though, and I hear few people complaining.

Plastic absorbes fumes from the environment and are seldom 100% light proof (bacteria and slgies like light). But plastic is still a great material for storing water - just be mindful of the environment you put it in (in the bilge, near your septic?). Stainless steel is light proof, doesnt scratch as easily, has a smooth surface, doesn't absorb fumes from the environment Some say it is the best.

UV, filters and chlorine on the tank is the way to go if you can't guarantee the source. Or, get a watermaker (don't flush the system with chlorinated water)....

I sometimes wonder how it must be like to take showers every day, hose salt off boat and gear, never let water govern ones itinerary, flush toilet with fresh water to avoid the stink, never worry about quality...Those lucky bastards with big watermakers and tons of solar. Some day, I will get one also - you just wait and see!

[Celestialsailor]

I think there is far too much concern with perfect water. I added clear inspection ports between the baffles to facilitate good scrubbing and from there on, inspecting. Did the beach thing, to shock. I fill up at my dock which is city, chlorinated water and this is what we drink anyways. Ever wonder what the pipes from the water company to your home look like? I do...pretty slimy. Yet we drink that. If you use and refill at regular intervals there should not be a problem. This is way over thought.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

We used to carry bottled water for drinking, but when I had some water system work to do anyway, I determined that carrying water was a pain, so I put in some filters to improve water quality for drinking. Since then we've been drinking the tank water. Much easier and simpler to deal with, no plastic to deal with, etc.

We have been using water from our tanks for 35 years, refilling usually weekly but less often when out cruising away from water sources. We have filled from docks all over the world. If we doubt the source we treat it with bleach using EPS recommended concentrations. If the water is potable but tastes bad (as it does currently from our dock in La Cruz), we drink bottled water. The taste gets past our 1 micron carbon filter, amazingly. We have carried water in plastic jerry cans on deck on two ocean passages when extra crew increased our projected daily usage (Turned out to be unnecessary).

We've cleaned our tanks once or twice to remove sediment, never thoroughly, but we've replaced two them at roughly ten year intervals so the new ones are clean. Two aluminum tanks are 30+ years old, still in daily use, including for drinking.

Best water:

1. Natural springs at Puerto Escondido, Baja California, Mexico. First time was in 1997, most recent: April, 2022
2. Rainwater (despite the recent reports that rainwater has chems). During rainy seasons our water catchment can capture 100 gallons on one inch of rainfall. Currently we are keeping our tanks filled with beautifully sweet rainwater since July 1, 2022 and not looking forward to less rain as the summer progresses
3. Power Survivor 35 water maker. Been in use on this boat since 1993. Low volume.

Sailors on sailing ships have used water from their tanks for a few thousand years, it's tradition I think.