Fresh water tank cleaning

[PDX-Boats]

Any suggestions on the best way to clean the fresh water system?
I noticed less than clean looking water coming from it. I assume there is some cleaning product and procedures.
Thoughts?

 

[DennisG01]

Bleach. Put about 5 gallons of water in there with a cup of bleach and push it through your faucets, too. Drive around for a while like that for a few days. Empty it. Check the pump filter. Fill and empty a couple times with fresh water and you should be good. In the future, treat your water (I have no idea what size tank or even what boat you have, so the amount will vary) with bleach (or commercially available stuff) on a regular basis... and don't let it sit for long as it goes stagnant.

 

[Doc Stressor]

You don't want to use too much bleach or let it sit too long or it can damage the diaphragm in your water pump and any rubber washers in the system.

Most RV sanitation directions go something like this:

1. Flush out the tank with fresh water to remove any loose debris. Clean the strainer located near the water pump.

2. Dilute 1/4 cup of fresh bleach per 10 gallons of tank capacity into a gallon of water and add it to the tank. Bleach goes off if it is more than a year old and much faster if the container has already been opened.

3. Fill the tank and run some water through the system to ensure that it gets in contact with the pumping, shower, and faucets). Let it sit for 12 hr (overnight).

4. Drain and flush the system with fresh water once or twice being sure to run the rinse through each faucet or shower.

I flush only once so that a little bleach remains in the tank. This holds up for about 3 months. I sanitize the tank every 6 months during storage, but you can go longer if the tank is refilled frequently.

 

[DennisG01]

Agree with not letting it sit too long. I don't know how long is too long - but I don't think I'd do more than a week when doing the "power clean" ration - maybe that would be fine, I don't know. But it doesn't take that long to clean things so I've never tried. A few days is the longest I've ever gone.

 

[drbatts]

My routine for the water tank is as follows. Flush out all anti-freeze from the winter with fresh water. I then pour about a cup of bleach in the water tank and fill it to mix around, and run the mixture through all the lines, faucets, spigots etc. I will then usually let it sit for a couple of days, then flush it out. Once flushed out, I check the filter on the water pump, which is usually clean and clear. In general, I will typically add a couple of caps worth of bleach every time I fill up the water tank throughout the season. I also fill the tank using an RV inline filter and will run it down to empty periodically through the season. We don't use the water other then for washing things and the head. I have never experienced a foul water smell or problems doing this routine.