Do you have any tips regarding freshwater systems and how to maximize the length of time that freshwater remains safe to drink?
Kathy Barron responds:
If you currently have an odor or taste problem in your freshwater system, there are three possible methods of treatment.
If the interior of the tank is accessible, take a clean mop and scrub the sides and bottom of the tank between the baffles. Remove as much algae as possible, drain the tank, and refill. Continue doing this until as much of the gunk in the tank is removed as possible. If there's no method to drain the tank other than using the freshwater pump, be sure to frequently clean the filter. Refill the tank once more and add a weak bleach solution (less than three percent) to kill any remaining bacteria. Again, scrub the interior, drain, and refill. Do this until all the bleach residue is removed.
If the interior of the tank is not accessible, try the Puriclean kit. This works well, but it will also require filling and draining repeated times to remove the cleaner residue.
In the instance of minor taste and odor offenses, use a mild bleach solution with a full tank. The bleach solution will kill most of the bacteria causing taste and odor problems. Once again, drain and refill until the bleach residue is completely removed.
To ensure the freshest tasting water possible, prefilter any water before it goes into the tank. A filter system that eliminates chlorine, taste, odor, and bacteria is the first line of defense against infecting the onboard freshwater system. Screw the filling hose into the inlet side of the filter casing and take the hose from the outlet flow of the filter and feed that into the tank fill. After filling the tank, add Aqua Tabs for additional treatment inside the tank.
A separate tap and a bacterial filter can ensure even safer drinking water. The water in a clean system can last three to four months—after that, the water becomes stale. Although the Aqua Tabs and filter systems can be used to keep the water safe to use, the best course of action is to drain and refill with fresh water. Best of luck to you.
