Never saw this coming

[Freeman]

We are staying for two days at a campground where the on-site attraction is a huge (and I might add exceedingly beautiful) cave. We set up, and while I was washing my hands I looked down at the paperwork and saw “Non-potable water - do not drink.” I turned to my husband who checked bus in who said — “yea, the woman said not to drink the water.” I went out to the utility pedestal and saw the sign just as big as life — which I didn’t notice when I hooked up the water to the Greyhawk. Of course, we had already used the toilette, and I had washed my hands. I went to the Google and found the water here is “cave water,” which is high in minerals. The campground has showers and there are water sprinklers everywhere watering the grass.

My question to everyone is — what should I do, if anything, once we get to the next campground tomorrow beside flushing out the system?

[norty1]

Flush it out several times when you get there and again when you leave the next stop.

[Jagiven]

X2 on flushing the system. Better yet sanitize the system first.

[Route 66 Traveler]

That is the exact reason we always travel with a full water tank. Your scenario has happened to us twice in the past 5 years and it was no big deal because we had enough water to last us three days.

Should be no big deal, just flush the tank and water heater when you get better water.

[Eric H.]

If it's at the pedestal and in the showers it is at least suitable for human contact, washing dishes and most likely cooking. I would not be surprised if locals drink it. I don't ever drain my water tank, winterize or sanitize. I always have some water in my tank from previous trips and sometimes as long as a year. I cook and clean dishes with it and do not ever drink water from it. I have never hooked up city water to any of my RV's in 20+ years and only plugged one in at a campground once. I lived on a ranch with well water that was very high in minerals and sometimes had a sulfur smell to it. The landlord said it was safe but if I was worried about it to drink bottled water. I asked him if he drank it and when he said all of his life, I had no problem drinking it. My couple different RVing friends who got me into it 20+ years ago also do not do any special maintenance to their tanks. We have been camping this way with 3 rigs sharing meals for 20+ years and never had an issue with bad water.

If it was my rig, I would carry on as if nothing changed. Still wouldn't drink it but would wash with it no problem. Not sure I would cook with it but I would ask the camp host about there thoughts.

[CAG]

If there were a major issue with water there you would have read about it some time or another. I doubt that anyone is going to die over it or even have gastric issues. Flush the system and move on.



Traveling with full water tanks is ok but I think overkill for most trips.

[Dgibbster]

We always travel with a full tank when not knowing the hook-up conditions or new campground.

[TaftCoach]

It's amazing we lasted this long as a species drinking whatever water we found.

[Siamese]

We stay at a lot of different campgrounds, and we always drink bottled water. Doesn't cost that much for some peace of mind. Who knows what's running through those old pipes at some campgrounds.

We don't worry about showing, etc. with it.

By drinking bottled water, we don't have to worry so much about keeping our system hygienically clean.

[msherw]

Bottled water (RO from our house system) on the road or back at home. I have had 3 kidney stones in my life and any h2o with dissolved solids are especially bad for me.

Our ranch deep well water is sweet and great for cooking but it has 450 mg of dissolved calcium. We do put it in the fresh tank for everything but drinking. Never had any problem. I do plan to bottom dump the tank it soon just to let it dry out.

I would not worry about the cave water unless it specified "boil before drinking".

[Joshuaz]

Originally Posted by Eric H.

If it's at the pedestal and in the showers it is at least suitable for human contact, washing dishes and most likely cooking. I would not be surprised if locals drink it. I don't ever drain my water tank, winterize or sanitize. I always have some water in my tank from previous trips and sometimes as long as a year. I cook and clean dishes with it and do not ever drink water from it. I have never hooked up city water to any of my RV's in 20+ years and only plugged one in at a campground once. I lived on a ranch with well water that was very high in minerals and sometimes had a sulfur smell to it. The landlord said it was safe but if I was worried about it to drink bottled water. I asked him if he drank it and when he said all of his life, I had no problem drinking it. My couple different RVing friends who got me into it 20+ years ago also do not do any special maintenance to their tanks. We have been camping this way with 3 rigs sharing meals for 20+ years and never had an issue with bad water.

If it was my rig, I would carry on as if nothing changed. Still wouldn't drink it but would wash with it no problem. Not sure I would cook with it but I would ask the camp host about there thoughts.

Eric,
I agree - we usually bring bottled water for cooking & drinking, and carry a little water in the tanks for when we're traveling. I've sanitized my tanks multiple times, and came to the conclusion that it always ends up tasting like bleach or whatever purifier I've used. Fine for washing dishes & taking showers, and often ok for brushing your teeth (sometimes I forget....) - but as a rule use the water provided at a campground for washing, not drinking.

Kind of like using shore power - use, but put filters/surge protectors on to protect the camper (and yourselves). I wouldn't lose much sleep over it - empty the tank, sanitize, and then use for "non-eating" purposes. There's lots of reasons to worry about the water in your holding tank (or water from a unfamiliar source) - there is too many ways to contaminant your holding tanks, better to use for non-eating purposes.

Good luck!
Josh

[L&G]

We never drink campground water. At the beginning of each camping season I buy four gallon jugs of water at Walmart. We either refill them with our home water or refill at Walmart. I think my last refills were less than $.50 each.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

It's amazing we lasted this long as a species drinking whatever water we found.

a lot of us didn't.
cholera to name but one of three dozen ways to get dead.






I suspect the ones that survived learned how to follow directions.

[Sv ray]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

It's amazing we lasted this long as a species drinking whatever water we found.

I even drank water out of the hose as a kid - probably why we have better immune systems.

[GeorgiaRV]

I never drink the water from our onboard tank. I have put non-potable water in it more times than not over the years of boondocking that we do. I always carry a 5 gal fresh water bottle and 3 other separate gallon bottles for drinking and cooking. I only use the water in the onboard tank for washing hands, dishes, toilet, showering. Everything else comes from our fresh water bottles. Been doing this now for almost 4 years works awesome!

Hope this helps.

[South Jersey Joe]

I wouldn't worry about the water. You're going to come across all kinds of water in different campgrounds in different states. We travel with two Cocker Spaniel's who are very sensitive to different water, so we always carry bottled spring water for them and cooking use for us, as well as drinking We turn off the ice maker and use trays to make ice cubes for drinks. In other words, we only use the campground water for the toilet and showers. As to what to do at the next stop, it will run through when the other water is hooked up to it. If you're really concerned, they sell a system cleaner you can run in your system.

[kirkelli]

we never drink any water out of any faucet including water we are hooked up to at the RV Park. Water use for us is strictly for washing getting the toilet to work & watering a few plants.. We buy and carry our favorite consumable bottled water in gallon jugs for drinking, cooking and including the good ole morning coffee. Got in this habit in the early 80's when several people in our community started dying off with cancers and rumors were flying 'it was in the water'.... Ironically, our popular favorite water is pumped from artisian wells 30 miles from our home.. We used to get this water by 50 gallon drums until our connection parted ways with the company but we still buy it at Sams Club..

[specialK]

Where are you staying?

[joe w]

We carry a Zero water pitcher with us for use when cooking and hot beverages + the pup. I had some store bought purified drinking water tested and some water that we ran through the Zero water pitcher. The Zero water sample was more pure than the store bought water. Just my two cents and after a 7700 mile trip earlier this year and using camp ground water with the Zero water pitcher in 20 different states we're all still kicking!

[ballardpf]

We plan on buying a Berky counter-top water filter system for that very reason. We have been hauling gallons of bottled water for years and I am over it. Plus I can use the water filter at home when not on the road since our water sucks here in Thornton, Colorado. Last trip we went through 70+ bottles and I hate that much recycling. It won't be cheap but the filters last 5 to 8 years based on usage and proper care.