Do you carry Water Purification tablets ?

I'm amazed at how many people always use purification tablets. But what amazes me yet further is how many seem to use them and then don't drink the water anyway!

We've never used any purification substances with the water on the boat. And don't filter it either before it reaches the tap. Thinking about it a filter might be nice, but only for removing the odd bit of crud that gets in there. But never any problems, illnesses or fatalities. Water mainly used for cooking, washing up and the kettle. It only gets drunk in emergencies when you wake up at 6 am with a killer hangover and a mouth like sand paper.
 
We have a flexible tank and use the boat most weekends and a couple of one or two week cruises a year. There is a charchol filter under the sink and I add one cap of Milton liquid per 50 litres of water. Only the first litre tastes a bit brackish, then no taste at all. I assume the first litre has been laying in the pipes, though why that should make a difference is beyond me.

It's only drank cold when mixed 50/50 with a sterile liquid.

I favour Irish whiskey.
 
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I have s/s tanks that are 'cleaned' at the start of the season with miltons. I also do the same with my hose and then just use tap water in the tanks. I always run the hose for a few minutes to remove stale water before filling the tanks and vary of marina hoses unless it has been used just before me. The general ecology filter tha tis fitted does not get a lot of use unless there is concern about the water, especially if it has been in the tank for a while.
 
I found the info on www.zappysblog.com very informative regarding bacteria to be protected against. I think the key issue is the contact time and the strength of solution of chlorine particularly for stainless steel. If left too long I guess damage may occur but for a couple of hours it is probably OK. He doesn't recommend bleach because of the surfactants contained in most bleaches.

Dave
 
Ladybird has a built in GRP tank of approx 15 gallons. Following the advice of the previous owner, who followed the advice of the previous owner, who followed . . . you get the drift, the tank is normally left dry and only filled when cruising.

Yesterday I replaced the hoses to the galley and heads taps and installed in-line filters. I scrubbed the tank out with water dosed with a little bleach and removed a few mould spots and a small family of spiders (how the hell did they get in there?).
I then filled up, added 3 sterilisation tablets ( 1 per 5 gals as recommended) and flushed the system through. There was no discernible taste though there was some initial discolouration due I believe to some activated charcoal dust from the filters.

When I head up the Western Isles next month I'll most likely be topping up from spring water, eg. Kerrera, so will continue using the steritabs.

If none of that works I've got Immodium in the first-aid kit.
 
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