How to prevent water contaminating

[dmksails]

The water in my tanks tastes great, but coming out the faucet it is foul smelling and tasting. I've already tried shocking the system with bleach, but it doesn't do anything so I'm going to replace anything out from the tanks that could be the cause of the problem - hoses, pump, accumulator and hot water heater.

The water problem affects both the hot and cold water. Just replacing the hoses will take a few days and I'm concerned about re-contaminating the new hoses if I use the system while having both new & old hoses connected. I live aboard and being without water for a few days would be a pain.

Here's my questions -

How likely would the pump and accumulator be part of the problem?

Could a problem with the hot water affect the cold water? BTW - my water heater is the type without an anode.

[a64pilot]

You most likely have a “sessile” bacteria colony in your lines. Personally I would take the hose connecting the pump to the tank loose and fill a 5 gl bucket with a strong solution of bleach and water, then pump it thought the system and let it sit overnight, reconnect the hose and flush the system the next day. I wouldn’t let a strong solution of bleach sit in my water heater though, so I‘d either bypass it or not do the hot side.
Then I would install a carbon block filter to my sink, I have a Seagull filter that came with the boat that does an excellent job, but I believe as good as they are, they are way overpriced and you can do well with a common 10” filter housing and a Carbon block filter. You want a carbon block filter and not just a carbon one, and ideally one made from coconut shell. Sounds like BS but it actually does make a difference.
You want to flush out the strong solution prior to installing the filter, and remove the cartridge if you ever shock your tank or lines again until you flush the excess chlorine out.

Some “light” reading on the subject
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4413065/

[peghall]

If the foul odor/taste is ONLY in the hot water, then your water heater is the culprit. If it's one with a metal tank that doesn't have a replaceable anode, the anodizing has worn off the inside of the tank...which means that a new water heater is the only cure.


If the cold water is also foul, recommissioning the system should cure the problem. You said you've already tried shocking the system with bleach, but did you use the recommended amount and also shock the plumbing by letting the solution run through every faucet on the boat till what's coming out smells strongly of bleach and the leave the pump on to keep the water in the plumbing for at least 3 hours, no more than 12? If not, try again...this time following these directions:


Before beginning, turn off water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded…bleach does absolutely nothing to improve the flavor of good Scotch!

1. Prepare a chlorine solution using 1 quart or litre of Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution) bleach/50 gallons of water tank capacity ,). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. (If tank is metal, put the solution in a bucket of water to add it to the tank instead of pouring straight bleach into an empty tank.)

2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open every faucet and drain cock and let water run until what's coming out smells strongly of bleach. Close all the faucets but do NOT turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines.

3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.

5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vessel motion.

6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filing the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.


Replace every filter in the fresh water system. A faucet filter on the galley sink is the only one you really need.



--Peggie