Drinking water from your tank

[Tim Good]

Yes we absolutely drink the water in our stainless tanks and we haven't changed the pipes. We cycle it once a year with an agent and have a filter at the tap. Never had an issue and the TDS value is no different that it was when it went in from the hose on the pontoon.

 

[jordanbasset]

I use a Seagull IV
Expensive but excellent.

Agree

 

[Momac]

For drinking water we prefer to use a 5 litre container and refill it from a mains supply. I accept that is not necessarily easy for everyone if the boat is along way from a tap.
This spring I have refilled the tank and not added any chemicals. The tank contents will be consumed fairly regularly - usually within a fortnight.

 

[Foxy]

Seagull filter - we did a blind taste test with guest (who only drank bottled water) and she chose the tank water!
Brilliant bit of kit and filters last forever!

 

[blxm]

Interesting that in all the posts nobody has said that they have got sick from drinking water from the tank.

+1 for tank water and filter ( Nature Pure QC) The filtered water tastes as good as any bottled water and as others have said in blind taste tests I have done I actually think its better than the bottled waters I tested against. Although that test was not a much fun as the Gin/Tonic combination tests.......

 

[Hydrozoan]

… or putting money into the pockets of the undeserving rich. …

Not wholly undeserving, however, since with a 1.5l water bottle and a sharp knife at engine service time, one is never at a loss for a container to catch the fuel when changing a primary filter, nor for a funnel to refill the coolant.

 

[prv]

Not wholly undeserving, however, since with a 1.5l water bottle and a sharp knife at engine service time, one is never at a loss for a container to catch the fuel when changing a primary filter, nor for a funnel to refill the coolant.

I have a special engine-room jug:

The writing on it actually says "not for galley use"

Pete

 

[pandroid]

Agree

+1. Best thing we ever did.

 

[Tucepi]

Seagull filter - we did a blind taste test with guest (who only drank bottled water) and she chose the tank water!
Brilliant bit of kit and filters last forever!

We use the tanks all year round so don't have water just sitting in the tank, but we occasionally pour some milton to both tanks which is cheap enough just to help the tanks stay clean, but we have a Seagull IV water filter with separate tap just for drinking water. Discounted at the boatshow and well worth the money and the taste............well we have not bought bottle water since.

 

[GrahamM376]

.............I would always boil water before drinking, even if it were a brand new boat. There's a lot of paranoia about drinking water, ...........

Always boil before drinking? Paranoia?

We drink from the tanks via an Aquasource filter without boiling (unless brewing up) and tanks never get any treatment as we have a good turnover of water.

 

[blackbeard]

I do wonder, with some boats now having fresh water tanks holding 200 litres or more, and often quite light usage, whether the water gets changed from one season to the next ...

On filters. I'm told that the filters in common use can't filter out disease bugs - can anyone confirm or deny? Is the main function simply to improve the taste (and how do they do that?). I propose to continue my reliance on occasional Aquatabs...

 

[elton]

Always boil before drinking? Paranoia?

We drink from the tanks via an Aquasource filter without boiling (unless brewing up) and tanks never get any treatment as we have a good turnover of water.

It's not really an issue, because I consume so little water that hasn't been boiled anyway - in beverages, food and so on. And I take no other measures regarding the cleanliness of the supply, other than what's just basic common sense.

 

[coopec]

When I was building my six f/g tanks I was surprised when the resin supplier said on no account use the tanks without a properly approved internal coating for potable water and suggested I contact a paint/coating supplier. They had epoxy type coatings but all hideously expensive. Eventually I went for a water based bitumen (a fraction of the price bought at the local hardware chain) which has been approved by the World Health Organization for potable water and stops chemicals leaching out of the laminate.

The Gougeon Brothers (West System) are the acknowledged experts with fiberglass but they won't manufacture water tanks in boats because they can't control the conditions (temp/humidity etc) necessary for optimal cure.

View attachment 57535

If you want to read their guidelines for boat construction here is the link.
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/wood-epoxy-composite-tank-guidelines/

 

[FWB]

I do wonder, with some boats now having fresh water tanks holding 200 litres or more, and often quite light usage, whether the water gets changed from one season to the next ...

On filters. I'm told that the filters in common use can't filter out disease bugs - can anyone confirm or deny? Is the main function simply to improve the taste (and how do they do that?). I propose to continue my reliance on occasional Aquatabs...

Seagull IV info and video
http://www.purewateronline.co.uk/How-it-Works.html

 

[prv]

When I was building my six f/g tanks I was surprised when the resin supplier said on no account use the tanks without a properly approved internal coating

Why surprised? Seems obvious to me that you don't want fibreglassing chemicals leaching into the water.

I much prefer roto-moulded (or welded) polyethylene, which seems to be completely inert. Or stainless, or even copper though that's not common on boats (possibly not strong enough).

Pete

 

[coopec]

Why surprised? Seems obvious to me that you don't want fibreglassing chemicals leaching into the water.

I much prefer roto-moulded (or welded) polyethylene, which seems to be completely inert. Or stainless, or even copper though that's not common on boats (possibly not strong enough).

Pete

I think you'll find polyethylene (and a whole lot of plastics) have BPA and that is being looked at as a health hazard these days. (I think it mimics one of human beings vital hormones)

I suppose there is a big difference between a factory made f/g tank and one we make in the back-yard and I really hadn't thought about it.

 

[geem]

Why surprised? Seems obvious to me that you don't want fibreglassing chemicals leaching into the water.

I much prefer roto-moulded (or welded) polyethylene, which seems to be completely inert. Or stainless, or even copper though that's not common on boats (possibly not strong enough).

Pete

Our tanks are GRP and built into the boat. We have no taste from the water. They have a paint finish to the inside. We drink only from the tanks. I don't like the idea of bottles water and all the plastic waste they create. We make our water and we haven't put any in from a tap for nearly two years. Since mid Jan we have made 5000 litres so we get a huge turn over in the tank. We have a Whale inline filter but since the water is RO water it can't be working too hard. The tanks are substantially constructed and work brilliantly. I wouldn't want it any other way. They are very space efficient. A separate tank could never be so efficient for space. They don't corrode and if constructed correctly they don't leak

 

[coopec]

I wonder how safe it is to drink bottled water or water stored on Polyethylene tanks?

Polyethylene (PET or PETE)
Used in disposable containers for most bottled water, bottled soft drinks, juice, mouthwash, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly and pickles. Also used in microwavable trays. This plastic is fine for single use. Avoid reusing #1 water and soda bottles because the plastic is porous and these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that can’t be cleaned out.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I wonder how safe it is to drink bottled water or water stored on Polyethylene tanks?

Polyethylene (PET or PETE)
Used in disposable containers for most bottled water, bottled soft drinks, juice, mouthwash, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly and pickles. Also used in microwavable trays. This plastic is fine for single use. Avoid reusing #1 water and soda bottles because the plastic is porous and these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that can’t be cleaned out.

Polyethylene, and Polyethylene terephthalate are two completely different products - PET us the clear stuff used for water and fizzy drink bottles, and the comments further down the article you quote is all about cracks forming in PET and bugs living in those...

I must admit I subscribe to the "you've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die" regime as opposed to having everything so scrupulously clean that there is no natural resistance to any commonly occurring stuff

 

[Hydrozoan]

I don’t personally feel there is much risk from chemical leaching from a water bottle re-used – any leaching would likely be greater from the bottle when originally filled, transported and stored etc.

The more realistic concern IMHO with any small container of water (including those designed for refilling) is the greater potential for bacterial growth on the walls provided by the much higher surface area to volume ratio #. Normal hygiene precautions should allow sensible re-use for a limited period of bottles not showing signs of cracking (as Gladys notes, crevices may harbour bacteria).

# IIRC it was the American limnologist G Evelyn Hutchinson who said ‘Life is a function of interfaces’ or somesuch – he was referring to life being more prolific at the sediment/water and air/water interfaces in oceans, rivers and lakes, but I reckon it applies everywhere!