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Odd tang of mould in drinking water


hackenbush

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One should always be awake to the issues concerning drinking water.

Although there are sterilisation tablets available, people forget that water is what fish pee and poo into before swimming around in it.  Another reason for not eating fish!

Most corner shops and all supermarkets sell a perfectly good alternative for slaking thirst.

My preference is Chivas Regal

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I don't really know what mouldly tang tastes like, but....

- Integral tank or plastic/stainless?

- Recently filled up or been there a while.

- Run plenty through?

We have never sterilised our tank and 25years on it still inculcate inside, refiled every fortnight or so over summer but left for 6months of winter.

Daniel

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1 hour ago, zenataomm said:

One should always be awake to the issues concerning drinking water.

Although there are sterilisation tablets available, people forget that water is what fish pee and poo into before swimming around in it.  Another reason for not eating fish!

Most corner shops and all supermarkets sell a perfectly good alternative for slaking thirst.

My preference is Chivas Regal

my preference too. so... possibly fish poo?

1 hour ago, DHutch said:

I don't really know what mouldly tang tastes like, but....

- Integral tank or plastic/stainless?

- Recently filled up or been there a while.

- Run plenty through?

We have never sterilised our tank and 25years on it still inculcate inside, refiled every fortnight or so over summer but left for 6months of winter.

Daniel

It's a plastic tank and recently filled and water is run quite a lot

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I had the same problem once, and suspected the supply pipe from the tank to the pump etc. I filled the pipe with a Milton solution by disconnecting the pipe at the tank and allowing the pump to draw the Milton solution from a large bucket into the pipe, I left it in the pipe for an hour, and then flushed it through with fresh water, I was suprised at how much muck came out initially, but once clear the drinking water was fine.

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18 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

I had the same problem once, and suspected the supply pipe from the tank to the pump etc. I filled the pipe with a Milton solution by disconnecting the pipe at the tank and allowing the pump to draw the Milton solution from a large bucket into the pipe, I left it in the pipe for an hour, and then flushed it through with fresh water, I was suprised at how much muck came out initially, but once clear the drinking water was fine.

brilliant. thanks. will give it a go

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I have most years used a sterilising solution in the tank and pipework. Usually do this in the spring after the tank has been standing empty over the winter.

A litre of sterilising solution into the empty tank (last time it was  Dr Johnsons from Home Bargains for under a pound - also available in poundland ) and a full tank of water on top . Then pull the mixture  through by opening taps so all the system is full. Leave this overnight or longer. Empty mixture via the taps and flush through with at least another tank of fresh water .

 

Edited by MartynG
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51 minutes ago, MartynG said:

I have most years used a sterilising solution in the tank and pipework. Usually do this in the spring after the tank has been standing empty over the winter.

A litre of sterilising solution into the empty tank (last time it was  Dr Johnsons from Home Bargains for under a pound - also available in poundland ) and a full tank of water on top . Then pull the mixture  through by opening taps so all the system is full. Leave this overnight or longer. Empty mixture via the taps and flush through with at least another tank of fresh water .

 

sounds like the method for me. thanks

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You can also use Thin bleach....only thin mind you! It's exactly the same stuff...sodium Hypochlorite that's used in treatment plants but a weaker solution. If you look online there's info on dosing correctly. Make sure it's correct for a shock dose....and flush well afterwards. 

 Couple of years ago we picked up some contamination from somewhere on our travels and it took a couple of treatments of the strongest recommended shock dose to clear....make sure you run it through the entire system.

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4 minutes ago, frangar said:

You can also use Thin bleach....only thin mind you! It's exactly the same stuff...sodium Hypochlorite that's used in treatment plants but a weaker solution. If you look online there's info on dosing correctly. Make sure it's correct for a shock dose....and flush well afterwards. 

 Couple of years ago we picked up some contamination from somewhere on our travels and it took a couple of treatments of the strongest recommended shock dose to clear....make sure you run it through the entire system.

OK thanks

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In the yonder days of commercial sailing ships ale was the staple liquid consumed on board a ship on a prolonged voyage as water contamination would lead to health risks. Notably ale then was very weak compared to today’s beverages so would actually serve as a genuine thirst quencher that the crew could subside on where todays beer and ales would leave you more dehydrated due to the high alcohol contend. However I would assume a weak or watered down beer or even some beer in your water supply would actually be a very good thing to adopt.

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Going back to Hackenbush's first post, he did not make it clear that he was talking about water from the boat's tank, though subsequent posts suggest that it is so.

HB, many boaters (including this one) never drink the water from the boat's tank, because of what it may contain. Certainly we don't: we have some bottles on board which contain our drinking water. I would think that the majority of narrowboaters do likewise, for reasons of flavour and hygiene.

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Interesting. We will use for everything apart from drinking water or squash. Tesco value mineral water is really cheap. I won't drink tank water unless it's boiled. Boat is 30 years old and though the water looks n smells fine, doesn't seem worth the risk...

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42 minutes ago, Jak said:

Interesting. We will use for everything apart from drinking water or squash. Tesco value mineral water is really cheap. I won't drink tank water unless it's boiled. Boat is 30 years old and though the water looks n smells fine, doesn't seem worth the risk...

Same here. Except I stopped using Tesco Value water a while back. It was very cheap but water from a mains tap into well rinsed out 4 pint milk bottles is even cheaper at 0p per bottle.

Also I find I have plenty of stuff to buy/carry from the supermarket without bothering with water as well.

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11 hours ago, Mick in Bangkok said:

In the yonder days of commercial sailing ships ale was the staple liquid consumed on board a ship on a prolonged voyage as water contamination would lead to health risks. 

This also very good advice.  Always plenty of ale on  board!

 

 

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44 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

Same here. Except I stopped using Tesco Value water a while back. It was very cheap but water from a mains tap into well rinsed out 4 pint milk bottles is even cheaper at 0p per bottle.

 

That's exactly what we do.

I think that Tesco Value Water is simply tap water put into a bottle - from memory, it says "still water" with no mention of "mineral".

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We carry a couple of 5 litre water bottles for drinking water and use them for refilling from the mains.  Bottles bought initially as £1 supermarket spring water. With reasonably careful handling the bottles last about a year.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, MartynG said:

We carry a couple of 5 litre water bottles for drinking water and use them for refilling from the mains.  Bottles bought initially as £1 supermarket spring water. With reasonably careful handling the bottles last about a year.

 

 

I did think about that but 4 pint milk bottles are easier to handle. I also have a 10 litre container (with tap) filled with fresh each trip and tucked away in the storage below the well deck just in case we ever get through the 4 * 4 pint milk bottles before the next water point.

I don´t think it's ever happened but it's reassuring to know it's there. Or bottles could simply be refilled with cooled boiled water from the tank if desperate.

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6 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

I did think about that but 4 pint milk bottles are easier to handle. I also have a 10 litre container (with tap) filled with fresh each trip and tucked away in the storage below the well deck just in case we ever get through the 4 * 4 pint milk bottles before the next water point.

I don´t think it's ever happened but it's reassuring to know it's there. Or bottles could simply be refilled with cooled boiled water from the tank if desperate.

That's similar to our practice; we have a batch of 2- and 4-pint plastic milk bottles for the purpose, plus a 5-gallon container with tap.

Is it my imagination, or have you just changed your forum name?

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No, it's not your imagination!

For some time I have been wishing I´d just used my boat name as my user ID so earlier this week I requested a change.

Now I only have two names (Lily Rose and Sean), not three.

I haven't fallen out of love with (the real) Mr Beethoven´s music though.

(I also have a 5 gallon container with tap but only use this when the main tank is drained down e.g in winter or during re-painting)

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