Vinegar and Chlorine

[wdk450]

Gang:
I have a couple of fresh water system problems right now, and could use some learned advice from the Heartland Owners collective intelligence.

First problem is that I suspect I have a hard water (calcium carbonate) partial clog in my main city water lines. I have low pressure, slow flow at ALL fresh water spigots, while if I disconnect my fresh water incoming hose, I seem to have good pressure and flow. I use a particulate filter in the feed hose continuously, and where I test the pressure/flow is AFTER the filter. I HAVE found white crystals in the filter screens before some of the faucets. Until I get my PEX crimper set from E-Bay (due Friday) and I can disassemble the main incoming tubing, rod it out, and back flush it, I was thinking of filling my filter housing with vinegar, running a faucet some to get the vinegar into the lines, and then let it sit as long as possible. Due to problem #2, I won't be drinking or bathing from the fresh system anytime soon, and would flush the system with fresh water for a while to remove the vinegar when I am ready.

Problem #2: The dumpy RV park I am staying at (and have a month rent prepaid until Sept 26th), just had its potable water well casing collapse a few days back. The manager instructed me to connect my rig to the landscape watering system that is drawn directly from a nearby river. THIS WATER IS NOT SAFE FOR DRINKING. So, when they finally get a new well drilled, and a safe drinking water system online, I will have to disinfect MY RIG's drinking water system. Right now my fresh water tank doesn't hold water (another job waiting for cooler weather) so I will have to get the disinfecting agent into my water system by another route. I am thinking that I can follow the same idea I have for my vinegar wash, and simply put the chlorine stuff in the water filter housing, run highly chlorinated water into all of the lines, let the lines sit at least overnight, then fresh water flush all of the lines until the taste of chlorine is gone. BTW, I keep some spa shock granulated chlorine around for just such a purpose.

What say you???

 

[CDN]

What about the park bringing is a taker of safe water and pumping the water to the system in the interim? Seems the park should own part of the problem.

 

[GregP]

If you haven't already introduced the river water into your system...can you install a filtration system AND a purifier into the fresh water intake ahead of the RV? I would be careful of introducing any suspect water into the system and hoping that you can purify it later. Better to prevent the introduction of unknown pollutants in the first place. I know there are several different filtering systems out there and also Ultra Violet purifiers that are supposed to make potable water out of questionable source water. Others on this forum have used filter systems that they set up and may offer better advice.

 

[carl.swoyer]

Is it possible that the on board filter has a restriction o ring. I had the same problem several years ago. Put a regular water hose gasket in and end of problem. I also removed all orings with the built-in screen. I do sanitize by draining my water hose an running bleach thru it until I smell bleach at both hot and cold faucet. . My freshwater tank I use a cup of bleach fill the tank drain 24 hours later then fill again.

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[RoadJunkie]

How are you going to determine whether the steps you have taken to sanitize the lines have been effective? I would probably move, paid or not, before I contaminate my water system. Don't confuse price with cost.

 

[danemayer]

Problem #2: The dumpy RV park I am staying at (and have a month rent prepaid until Sept 26th), just had its potable water well casing collapse a few days back. The manager instructed me to connect my rig to the landscape watering system that is drawn directly from a nearby river. THIS WATER IS NOT SAFE FOR DRINKING. So, when they finally get a new well drilled, and a safe drinking water system online, I will have to disinfect MY RIG's drinking water system. Right now my fresh water tank doesn't hold water (another job waiting for cooler weather) so I will have to get the disinfecting agent into my water system by another route. I am thinking that I can follow the same idea I have for my vinegar wash, and simply put the chlorine stuff in the water filter housing, run highly chlorinated water into all of the lines, let the lines sit at least overnight, then fresh water flush all of the lines until the taste of chlorine is gone. BTW, I keep some spa shock granulated chlorine around for just such a purpose.

What say you???

Hi Bill,

I'll start with 2 assumptions: first, that you don't put any river water into the gravity fill for the fresh tank, and 2) that you don't have any leakage backward from the water pump into the fresh tank.

After you get clean drinking water again, you could flush it through the water system for a while, and then as you suggest, add the chlorine mix to the water filter housing, and run it through the system, then let it sit. But given that it can take a few gallons of antifreeze to do something similar when winterizing, I wonder if you'd have enough volume of chlorine solution.

To address the volume issue I think you could put the chlorine solution into a 5 gallon bucket and use the antifreeze suction line to pump it through all your water lines and out the faucets and other fixtures. You'd probably still want some chlorine solution in the water filter housing so that area and the water inlet get sanitized. And I think I'd start with the water filter housing before doing the antifreeze suction.

The biggest problem is knowing when you're done.

At what point can you be comfortable that any bad stuff has all been dealt with? Maybe you can get a water quality test kit of some kind.

 

[JohnDar]

I would not put untreated river water into the rig unless you have it analyzed first. No telling what got into it upstream of where they're drawing it.


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[Gary521]

Whatever you do, DO NOT mix vinegar and Chlorine unless you want an early trip to the Promised Land.

 

[wdk450]

To all respondents: The deed is already done. I connected to the landscape water system as soon as the manager told me to. I went to Walmart and bought a 5 gallon water container and pump for potable water, and have been going 7 miles into town to fill it at my sister's house on Porterville city water. Flushing the toilet was an immediate need when the potable well water system failed, especially in the >100 degree temperatures for a month we had at the time of the well collapse. Mercifully, it is now under 100 degrees, but still over 90 degrees.

I am getting through the no potable water disaster (for now). The bigger concern is the lack of flow in the freshwater lines. Again, I want to emphasize that this rig water flow problem PREDATES the switchover to irrigation water. I did find that I have a spare filter housing in the storage area, so maybe I will get the fittings to hook the 2 filter housings in series. So far I am watching things, use Lysol a lot. This park is dirt poor (although they do have pool) but are one of the only 2 viable RV park choices in the area. The other one is generally nicer, but is $50 a month more, and doesn't have a pool.

I have 2 older sisters in Porterville - 1 (84 with COPD, wheelchair/walker) in a seniors residential (non-care) facility who needs a fair amount of help with her needs. The younger (75) has been assisting the older one for many, many years, but feels her mental facilities declining, has CHF, and got overwhelmed by her older sister's care needs. I drive into town every night at 10 to get my older sister hooked up to her ventilator/oxygen for the night. I also drive her to her many DR. appointments. The extra $510 RV park space rent a month over what I pay for Thousand Trails ($600 a year) puts my budget just at the ekeing by level. I think I am stuck here until God takes my older sister, which might not be for a long, long time. I am the only family member without local commitments who can come here and do this.

Thanks for your concern and advice. I trust in God and will get through this "minor speed bump".

 

[olcoon]

I'd demand a refund, it was their issue/problem/fault, the well failed not yours, and move to a different park. I'd think it would be a lot better than going through the hassle of trying to disinfect your water system.

 

[RoadJunkie]

Since the deed is done I would suggest you make sure you run the sanitation solution through all water outlets, including washer, outside shower and toilet. Be aware of cross contamination from areas that may be dead-ends for water to hide. There are commercial products that are fairly inexpensive, example here.

 

[wdk450]

I'd demand a refund, it was their issue/problem/fault, the well failed not yours, and move to a different park. I'd think it would be a lot better than going through the hassle of trying to disinfect your water system.

Since the river water HAS ALREADY been introduced to the trailer, I will have to eventually disinfect whether I move or not.

 

[Rickhansen]

Unfortunately, your problem (real or potential) is going to extend. Once the new well is installed and running, their potable water system is also likely contaminated and suspect. It will have to be sanitized, flushed, and tested extensively before it will be permitted by the Health Department. Your situation can't practically be remedied until then unless you find another sanitary water source, and perform your own disinfection process.

A testing solution exists which you might consider. Dipslide Testing is available for relatively cheap. I've seen specific test kits for up to $10/vial. You can buy dipslides where you fill a small vial, incubate it for a period of a couple days (at 80-90 degrees) and read the results by comparing the test strip color to a chart. You can get dipslides for Aerobic (oxygen thriving bacteria), Anerobic (bacteria that thrive without oxygen), and other specific colonies like Coliform and Legionella. Once incubated, we have to dispose of them a hazardous waste.

I am NOT a water treatment professional, but I would also encourage a high level of personal caution. These bacteria, when colonized in water, can easily can become airborne. Legionnaires Disease for instance is a real risk, especially in warm temperatures. The parks piping and your piping are probably very good incubators for these bugs to multiply in. Simply flushing the toilet can make these critters airborne.

 

[JohnDar]

Too late now, but buying bottled water for cooking and drinking, while using a bucket of the landscaping water to fill and flush the toilet would have been a better idea. You could have bathed at your sister's house.


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