# On Board Drinking Water Systems



## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi, Still going through all the bits and bobs on the new Tribute and getting my head around them !.

The manual says that the "Clear" water system should be classed as undrinkable water yet the manual also says that the system components are of a "Food standard"

Does anyone know please what needs to be done to the system to make it drinking water?

My caravans in the past have had a 2 stage filter (carbon / sediment) between the tank and pipes. It looks like the Tribute has no such filters plus the system was regularly sterilised, Will these make the difference do you think ? 

Cheers
Paul


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Hi

We fitted a Nature Pure water filter with it's own tap.. it is probably the best investment we made.

try a search for 'nature pure' there are many posts on this topic.

Find product here 
>>Nature Pure<<


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

Gee, I always worry about co-incidences. Just as I was reading your post Jim Shona filled the kettle from the water pure system I fitted a couple of weeks ago and remarked how good it was

stew


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Hi
"Nature pure" its the only one!
wobby


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## Otto-de-froste (May 20, 2005)

Never drunk water from the tank.
Often just drunk - but thats another story.
We washed an old plastic 4 litre milk bottle, steradent then a good rinse.
Fill it up at home and stick it in the fridge.
We then fill it up at site as we need it - never too far away from a tap. 
Had it 3 yrs and does the job.
Haven't used the Trigano shower - a bit like shoving an inflated balloon into a Smartie box.

Mr Tribute_650 - glad you got your van; hope Danum treated you well. I've had a few issues with my van, and I would like to air them on another thread; but I don't want to give the impression that the Trigs are bad vans as that is clearly not the case.

Don't want to teach my Grannie to suck eggs, but you may find a few niggles - if so don't panic like I did; I've pretty much fixed everything (or Danum have) and most issues have been down to my own lack of understanding.
I think the Trig will be a great van.

O.


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

I can see benefits with both the filter and milk bottle methods. With the bottle method you are relying on the safety of the water on camp sites, but it's cheaper and simpler than using a filter.

What do fulltimers do, as they live entirely on water from sites?


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## Otto-de-froste (May 20, 2005)

Having worked for a water testing laboratory I have been led to believe that potable tap water is traditionally less likely to carry bacteria than bottled water. However in Europe we have bought cheap bottled water for drinking.
I think it is a psychological issue, in that in-line filters can purify well above the filtration process that treatment works can achieve, but one look into the tank, and I kind of think - Nah....
Besides, I think it brings me back to the true spirit of camping - well at least as far as I care to go.

O.


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

So I could put gutters on my trailer to catch rainwater to fill the tank (see Trailer Aerodynamics topic) to save getting soaked filling up at a tap, and rush out to the tap to fill a bottle in the few seconds when the sun comes out :lol:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

We drink the water straight from our onboard tank. Ok its new and the manual states its not for drinking. 99% of the time the water is used as coffee or tea so its been boiled, so presumably sterilised, or as good as. 
I have drunk water from puddles while backpacking after boiling with no ill effects. The only time water has upset me is when its mixed with barley and hops.
Personally I think that we tend to sterilise our lives too much, so if we do come into contact with a bug or two then our immune system can't cope.
As Mum used to say, " we all have to eat a peck of dirt before we die".


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

We drink from our on board tank we have a in line water filter then
it goes through one of those brita filters then its boiled for Tea/coffee,
pretty safe i would have thought.
The children on the other hand drink bottles of coke from local supermarkets,(france,spain )etc this is made with local water does
anyone know if this is safe to do.


phil


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

My understanding is if it is proper coke they have water filters in there factorys/bottling plants world wide.After seeing how it cleans a penny etc, I think I am right giving it a miss and will stick with water.
terry


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

thanks Terry,i was refering more to the cheapo stuff the top budget line.
Next time i'm abroad i'll chuck a Euro in some if it cleans it,then it will
probably have killed any germs too :lol:


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi. 

We have been fulltiming for the past 10 months and have only used water from the tank. We have cleaned out the tank once and only use flat garden hose to fill the tank. No problems at all. We always dump any water from our tank when we leave a site and fill with fresh water when we get to a new site. I have fitted a nature pure system but do not see any reason to use it while in GB. Will try it out later this year when in France and spain

steve & ann. ----- teensvan.


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## waddy (Apr 21, 2006)

Nothing wrong with water from site taps either here or on continent its what people use the taps for all to frequently they are used for putting water into toilet cassettes for washing out with the inevitable contact between the two items therefore every reason to use a filter i use nature pure the only drawback is the replacement filter cost but its cheaper than a visit to hospital with hepatitis or worse ! . waddy


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## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

I just put an inline Aquasource Water Filter into the cold water feed from my tank. Its easy to do. Just cut into your fresh water supply and fit using stainless steel jubilee clips. Job done. Change every 12 months.

Johnny F


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## solentviews (May 9, 2005)

I fitted a Nature Pure filter but for a different reason. We have always used the on board tank throughout our travels both home and abroad. My 7 year old largely drinks only water and at times has to run just used hot water off to get cold to drink. Fitting the filter and tap allows him a constant supply of cold water and reduces the topping up I have to do. Since fitting we use the filtered water to top up the kettle and for cooking.
Ian


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## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your responses, The Nature Pure filter system seems the answer but I cannot understand why we have to pay £45 for a replacement cartridge in the UK but the Yanks only pay around £9, it puts me off, would be different if they paid £45 hence indicating that that was the actual value of the cartridge and we were not lining the pockets of the importer!


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

I'm sure it's a poor substitute, but I've just found my Brita filter jug in my house clearout. Would this be any use, or would it not remove all the important nasties?


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## Seeker (Dec 26, 2005)

I did a couple of years volunteering in an African village some 25 years ago. While there I built a water filtration system as described in a Peace Corps manual: Get a couple of old oil drums to stand on top of each other and put a tap in the side of the lower one a couple of inches up from the bottom. Punch holes in the bottom of the upper and and then fill it with layers of stones, gradually getting smaller toward the middle, then a good layer of sand. Then a layer of topsoil with grass.

I tested it by pouring in five gallons of muddy water taken from a nearby cattle waterhole and left it overnight to drain through into the lower drum. Next morning it came out of the tap sparkling clear and I had a good swig to prove it had worked in nature's own way.

I spent the next three weeks on anti-biotics with stomach cramps and diarhoea.

Nowadays we drink only bottled water on the van.

Harry


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