School me about the water, pls

S

sixtysomething

New Member
Aug 14, 2012
21
florida
Boat Info
1998 330 sundancer
Engines
mercruisers
Ok, it's 'sixtysomething' again hoping to gather valuable info from my SWFs (searay web friends lol) Keep in mind pls that we are new to the site and just recently got our boat.
Besides a great galley, our boat has a sink and wet bar outside, together with a very convenient icemaker! This is great but how do we know the water is safe to drink, make ice and cook with? And if it is, how do we maintain the 'health' of the water tank. Give it to us step by step guys, remember... These are amatuers your taking to.

work in progress,
sixtysomething
 
The quality of water, I suppose, varies from location to location. If your local tapwater is safe, or good enough, to drink, it should be OK on the boat for the purposes you mentioned. You probably shoud check with some other local boaters. The only problem would be if you let it sit too long. It never hurts to dump the icemaker periodically, just to keep it making fresh ice. They actually last longer if they run more often.

Don
 
I dump the tank weekly by turning on the faucets.
This includes the hot water.
When I refill, I add a couple of ounces of Chlorox.
Every other time or so, I add some Aquabon.
I dump the ice from the icemaker into the cooler everytime I am on the boat.


So, I keep the water no more than a week or so old and use it to flush out the lines regularly.
 
Yep... you have to start with a clean tank and then cycle the water often to keep it clean. Our marina is fed by local city water so it is clean. I don't drink it from the tank, but I do brush my teeth, shower, and clean dishes with it.
 
There are specific procedures for starting up your water system initially to insure the water is safe to use. Do a search to find out about how that is done. Once you have a sanitized tank, regular use is the key to keeping things safe. This begins with using water from a clean source. We never connect our boat to a hose, preferring to draw water from the tank. Daily use for cooking, cleaning and showering means our tank is depleted at least weekly and sometimes every 2-3 days. We have never had a problem and do not use any bleach or other products once the system is up and operating. In the fall we just drain the tank, mostly through the toilet while the head is being pumped out. This drains the tank and hot water heater while cleaning the holding tank at the same time.
 
My rule of thumb is to assume it's NOT safe to drink. You can sanitize it all you want but you can't guarantee that contaminants are completely gone from all aspects of the water system. Further, fluctuating temperatures can make water stagnant and unsafe. Not worth the risk in my opinion.
 
Sorry, I should have specified I wanted to know water safety advise regarding the holding tank on the boat not the geographical area. Sorry :-(
 
Thanks those r great tips. Our boat was not used a lot by the previous owner and its a 98. Do u advise cleaning the out tank? And if so, do u know the procedure to do so?
 
Several versions of this method exist, some including up to an overnight waiting period. Make sure not to let it sit longer than that however, as the bleach can damage rubber gaskets and seals in the system.

http://ronco-plastics.com/sanitizing.html
 
sixtysomething said:
So, what do you do ? Not use any water from the boat at all?
Click to expand...

I just use the water to wash hands, flush the toilet, wash the boat, etc....never in my mouth. Think of it like the water in Mexico...

Here's why I don't drink it....

Since most all waterworks systems and or dockside/ campgrounds operators add disinfectants such chlorine and or ammonia to the water these pathogens including waterborne viruses for most part are eliminated. Oocysts however, found in all surface water including pristine mountain streams are marginally affected by standard disinfection methods.

There are two varieties of the oocyst:

1. A sphere of about 4.5 micron in diameter called Giardia Lamblia

2. An ellipse of about 7 x 5 micron called Cryptosporidium (for comparison human hair measures 70-100 microns diameter).

The thick, leathery shelled oocyst act as a resting place or a “suitcase” for the infectious sporozoites, which emerges from the shell and infects the small intestines. Hence both cause illnesses Giardiasis (Beaver Fever) and Cryptosporidiosis, well-known illnesses to the medical as well the waterworks authorities.

Once introduced to water, the oocyst can survive for weeks, even at low temperatures. The organism has been found in humans as well in all domestic and wild animals.

The number of oocysts that must be ingested to cause infection in humans isn't known. Studies indicate that as few as ten and perhaps as many as 500 Oocysts are required to initiate infections in mammals. The infectious dose for humans is thought to be fewer than ten. These illnesses typically last 10 to 14 days. However, it may linger off and on for up to 30 days and infrequently can persist for extended periods. Children may be the most susceptible, particularly two-year-olds and under. A cure for Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis has not been found. Recovery depends on the patient's immune system. The disease can be fatal for those with severely weakened immune system.

According to the American Waterworks Association monthly Opflow , “Giardiasis is the most common disease-causing intestinal parasite in the United States”
Click to expand...
 
I am another one who does NOT use the water on the boat for drinking. That's what bottled water, Gatorade or Grey Goose is for.
 
Hands, shaving, doing the dishes, and the head....that is all I use the water for. If I am hooked up to the dock water it's well water, but I still don't trust it.
 
I agree with Tonka and others on this one. Aside from the other risks mentioned, many boats have an electric hot water heater that also has a heat exchanger built in. This circulates either RAW Water or Antifreeze through the hot water heater to warm it when the engine is running. If corrosion/breakdown or failure ever occured within the heat exchanger, your entire water system could potentially be comtaminated with lake/ocean water after leaving the tank or (if the engine is freshwater cooled) it could be contaminated with antifreeze.

I would advise you use bottled drinking water to drink. Maybe I am over cautious but I dont like being sick at all.
 
After all the great words of wisdom from all you guys.. We will definitely, "stay away from the water!" When it comes to drinking it. I also thought the Grey Goose alternative from the GrandMaster was an excellent one LOL!! Thanks to all you guys!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,164
Messages
1,427,629
Members
61,073
Latest member
kolak3
Back
Top