Cleaning the Water System

Whether a large Camper or a Motorhome, you're likely to have three water tanks (below) which need to be maintained to ensure it doesn't smell, won't block the pump or pipes and isn't going to kill you if you get some in your mouth or eyes.

The Fresh tank is the one that you fill up with a hose, using fresh water and a food grade hose pipe. This tank is often empty before travelling and filled once on site, or if you're more full time or don't use sites then it will be as full as possible all the time. You may optionally fill this tank from water sources such as springs, streams and rivers but make sure you use a suitable lift pump and have a fine grade filter to stop bugs and debris into the system.

The Grey tank holds the water that goes down the sink(s) and shower tray (but NOT the toilet). Generally the grey tank is also emptied before travelling and then emptied when needed on site, or if you're more full time or don't use sites then emptied when possible to do so.

Now there's a lot of hysteria about the Grey tank and where you can and can't empty it, and really it all depends on what's in your grey tank. If, like most people its just water from washing yourself and showering then you're safe to empty it in any water drain, but if on the other hand it contains food waste (from washing plates) and other contaminates then only empty when on site in the correct place, or in your own drains at home.

Well, this is the toilet really, so never empty this anywhere except in a sewer, but that can be down a toilet (your own) or in a properly provided disposal point. There is a grey area here though (Grey Area not Grey Tank ;) because many of our cities and towns don't have a separate storm drain and sewer and actually it all goes to the same place, so theoretically you could empty your black waste in a storm drain, but its just not worth the risk unless you know for sure it all goes to the sewer, and never empty in roadside drains because the majority of these lead into dykes, streams, ponds etc.

Over time both tanks will accumulate gunge and bacteria and need cleaning, and to do this we have special additives for example;

Elsan Fresh Water Tank Cleaner; 1litre

Puriclean Stored Water Systems Cleaner; 400g

Both these are exceptional products at cleaning and maintaining your water tanks, and I can't really recommend one over the other, but don't put anything harsh in there like bleech or sodium hydroxide as this can damage the plastics, seals, pipes, fittings etc.

The process for maximum benefit is

• Firstly fill the fresh tank and add the required amount of cleaner.
• Now take your vehicle for a drive, as long as reasonably possible, this sloshes the water around the fresh tank ensuring good coverage.
• Now use your taps (both/all open) to pump the fresh tank into the grey tank.
• Now take your vehicle for another drive, as long as reasonably possible, this sloshes the water around the grey tank ensuring good coverage.
• Now empty the grey tank, and you're done.

Maintaining the system can be achieved by using chlorine tablets, the ones that are generally used in pools, spa's and hot tubs and popping one in the fresh tank when you fill it.

There's long been a dispute about drinking water from your fresh tank, and generally this is a NO because even if you clean it regularly and use pool tablets is never going to be 100% clean because there's water in the pipes, tanks, water heater, and elsewhere that stagnates, and especially for newer vehicles there's plastics in the tank, pipes, seals that leech chemicals into the water over time. If you boil it first then ok its probably safe but it won't taste great, so the best option is to use bottled water for drinking and leave the tap water for washing.