The biggest factor in the quality of the water you pump into an RV's fresh water tank is the water's previous treatment. Many campgrounds use water that has recently been treated at a fresh water plant, while other filling stations may offer water that is further removed from proper treatment procedures. If a park's filling station is poorly maintained, there may be metallic compounds or other harsh chemicals that can be released into the water.
Researching a park's water supply is an important first step in making sure you're providing your family with fresh water during their camping trip. Call a campground or park before visiting and inquire into their water source and treatment. Many campgrounds operate their own wells. If a campground avoids answering questions, or has suspect treatment information, you may be better off not visiting.
Keeping the fresh water tank and filling line clean is important to reduce the amount of microbes and bacteria that can enter your fresh water. Fill your RV's water tank to at least halfway, and then add 4 teaspoons of liquid soap for every 10 gallons of water in the tank. Pump this liquid solution through every water outlet, including sinks, toilet and shower. If you can, take your RV for a short drive, as the movement can agitate the water and improve lather. Drain the soapy water and refill with water, repeating until all trace of liquid soap is gone. This should be done at least twice per summer.
Although cleaning can remove dirt and grime from your water tank, it can't destroy and remove the microscopic bacteria that can inhabit your RV's water supply. Properly sanitizing your tank can reduce the risk of bacterial or viral infection from tainted water.
To sanitize, fill your RV's water tank until it is almost full. Turn your water heater off and allow the water to cool. Create a diluted solution of one gallon of water and one quarter cup of household bleach for every 15 gallons of water currently in the tank. Then, pour the solution into your RV's water tank and run the solution through each of your water lines. If you've done this correctly, you'll be able to detect a chlorinated smell as the water runs. Fill your RV's water tank the rest of the way and let it sit for a night. On the next day, empty all of the water from the tank using the sinks and fresh water drain valve. When completely drained, close all valves and tighten all faucets so that no water can escape. Fill and flush your tank at least two more times to make sure excess bleach has left your RV's system. When finished, your RV's fresh water tank will be properly chlorinated to suppress the growth of bacteria.
When camping season ends, make sure your RV is properly stored during the winter to prevent damage from freezing. The fresh water tank is especially vulnerable to freezing water damage, which can be caused by even small amounts of water left behind after summer. There are two procedures which are generally accepted as being safe enough for proper winter storage of an RV for use the following year. Dry storage can be achieved with a compressed air pump kit which blows all of the water from the internal lines and storage tanks of the recreational vehicle. You could also purchase a nontoxic, potable form of anti-freeze for wet storage. You will still need to drain excess water from your fresh water tank first, but the anti-freeze method will not require you to completely dry the tank out. If you do use anti-freeze, repeating the cleaning and sanitizing procedures before the next camping trip will remove all anti-freeze from your water tank.
