Making sure your caravan is equipped with safe drinking water at all times is essential. The good news? It isn’t too difficult to maintain, phew!
Prevention
So that your water supply isn’t contaminated with harmful bacteria and algae, it’s important to keep on top of the maintenance of your water system as well as being updated with latest products. For bacteria to grow, not only does it need moisture but it also needs sunlight. This means that systems that have clear water lines are at a greater risk of contamination than the newer models with opaque lines. While this sounds obvious, the other way to ensure your water system is not contaminated, is to always fill it up from a pure water source. If you have noticed a bad taste to your water, it may also be time to check the condition of your filter hose and replace accordingly.
Cleaning A Caravans Water System
There is a long standing debate over whether or not you should leave your tank full or empty over long periods of time. While properly treated water is a-okay to remain in your tank, non-treated water is at risk of contamination after a period of time. If you do experience water contamination or you would like to be safe (rather than sorry), it’s a good idea to clean your tanks and plumbing. The first thing you need to do is work out which cleaning product you’d like to use, then flush out the plumbing, draining and rinsing the tanks.
While lots of different products can be used to clean your caravans water system, you can also use at home remedies including bicarb soda and white vinegar. These are good alternatives if you don’t want to use bleach so close to your drinking supply.
It’s great if your plumbing is able to bypass your caravan water filter before the cleaning products run through your taps. With your powered water pump, run water from both your inside and outside taps, as well as your shower for one or two minutes.
From here, you need to drain your tank, then rinse or run the hose through at the same time. Be aware of any disturbances you may cause when getting rid of your grey water, especially when you’re not at home.
Treat your water
There are various solutions that you can apply to your water to make sure it is disinfected before drinking. Research which options suit your situation best.
Before each trip, it’s a good idea to check in with your water storage system to make sure you will be drinking clean water for the entirety of your trip. Getting sick on your trip isn’t a great idea, especially in such a small space.
DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
