Do you filter campground water?

[jymbee]

We typically carry containers of water for drinking, coffee and such given my hesitation to trust the "potable" water at campsites. Perhaps not a reason to be concerned in reality, but given we can fill containers for a two week supply at Walmarts for around a quarter, that's what we've been doing. Of course, it is possible that my confidence in the quality of water at Walmart might be misplaced as well.

Last campsite I noticed many campers had water filters of various types installed between the site water and coach. Wondering how effective they are and if perhaps some types/models are more effective than others?

 

[8Muddypaws]

We have a built in filter so I guess we do. We don't drink campground water. One of the places we used to go 4-7 times a year had the worst tasting water. It tasted like rust.

 

[Roy M]

We never had a problem, use bottled water for drinking and cooking, but some sources with a high mineral content might stain the sinks or toilet. I wouldn't worry about it but some people are fussy.

 

[Larry N.]

We normally use campground water for everything, though if we found something bad we'd fall back on our tank, which we normally keep well over half full. Our rig does have a built-in filter, which I replace regularly, and so we don't worry about sand and other such.

 

[Oldgator73]

We always used bottled water for drinking and coffee.

 

[Isaac-1]

We carry a small canister type water filter / water softener (marketed for one bedroom apartment use) that we generally run all water through as we fill the tanks. The smaller version of this one https://smile.amazon.com/Aquios-FS-220-Softener-Filtration-System/dp/B003TIC1KM/ Works ok for us when we are traveling. (I bought it cheap off ebay, new in box)

 

[UTTransplant]

Our rig came with a built in sediment filter. We change it on some periodic basis that Kevin remembers and I don’t! We also use a water softener most of the time, and that sits outside. I don’t worry about campground water. The reason bad water is big news is because it is so rare. We usually run off our tanks, and before we fill them someplace we sample the taste. There have been a few spots we chose not to fill at, but it was taste, not fear of contamination.

 

[Mr Lars]

We have always brought bottled water along for drinking, and cooking.

 

[Tom55555]

We typically carry containers of water for drinking, coffee and such given my hesitation to trust the "potable" water at campsites. Perhaps not a reason to be concerned in reality, but given we can fill containers for a two week supply at Walmarts for around a quarter, that's what we've been doing. Of course, it is possible that my confidence in the quality of water at Walmart might be misplaced as well.

Last campsite I noticed many campers had water filters of various types installed between the site water and coach. Wondering how effective they are and if perhaps some types/models are more effective than others?

We use bottled water for anything that goes in our mouth. We use this filter anytime we need water. I store it in the refrigerator when not in use.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-TastePURE-Flexible-Protector-40043/dp/B0006IX87S/ref=asc_df_B0006IX87S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167140116641&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16948945338942615171&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=200751&hvtargid=pla-272506031700&psc=1

 

[JImAC7PO]

I always thought it a good idea to filter for particles as you have no idea as to the nature of the campgrounds water supply. Where we lived in Montana most filtered incoming water for sand and other things as most water came from rivers or wells. It is much easier to stop things than to try to clean the system.

 

[JudyJB]

I trust water from state and other government campgrounds more than commercial campgrounds because I suspect they get tested more often, but I also have a whole-house built-in filter. Sometimes I also use one of the filters that attach to the water hose. And I change both regularly.

I don't like to have to deal with all the plastic containers for purchased water, so I have been drinking the campground water for the past 9 years. It goes through two filters, and other than a few places in Florida, it tastes fine. (I am full-timing, so I cannot bring water from home.)

You should know, however, that there are differences in water filters. The hose ones are usually blue, but there is also a green-colored brand. Read the labels on each to determine what things each one filters. The replacement filters for my built-in filter also come in several versions, some of which just deal with taste and others that remove things like giardia. I tend to buy the ones that cost a little more but filter more stuff. I also periodically treat my fresh water tank with some bleach to keep it sanitary.

 

[John From Detroit]

There are some campgrounds where I basically can not drink the water but even the simplist of activated charcoal fixes that.

I took a piece of PVC (I used 3" but suggest you use 2) and on one end I cut down a stainless steel drain cover to just fit inside a redcer then redued it down to a male hose fitting. The other end got a screw thread adapter than a set of reducers down to a female hose fitting.. Some filter floss (Fish isle at pet store) then some activated charcoal.. The regular kind not the algicide kind, (Same isle) more filter floss and screw the "lid" on.

 

[Oldgator73]

At our Virginia property there is a spring. Our son dug a hole and we dip a 5 gallon bucket in. We use the water for cooking, coffee and dishes.

 

[SeilerBird]

I also only drink bottled water. I have a sensitive stomach and I got sick on tap water too many times. I don't ever get sick on bottled water. And now that I live in Florida full time it is more important than ever to use bottled water since the tap water smells bad. I even use bottled water for my cat.

 

[SpencerPJ]

We drink and cook with bottled water. For extended weekend trips, I have a few gallon jugs I will fill from our home and that's cooking / coffee water.

 

[Jayflight]

When visiting campgrounds in the boondocks I have experienced wells thats not always the best. But water is just water and I don't expect to find the same as I have at the brick and stick place. Of course we carry bottle water, which is normally a tad bit better as a whole than some of the shallow water wells or wells drilled in sandy regions. The inline water filters will at least filter out some of the sand even though iron seems to still make it way thru them. But showering in iron water has no real adverse affect internally.

 

[Ksouers]

Yes, everything going in is run through the ubiquitous disposable blue filters. Drinking water is either this filtered tap water or bottled water, whichever is convenient. This year there is a plan to install a reverse osmosis system for drinking water.

Kevin

 

[Dreamsend]

I also only drink bottled water. I have a sensitive stomach and I got sick on tap water too many times. I don't ever get sick on bottled water.

WOW Seilerbird. I have the same problem, -- had it since I was 9 years old and only figured it out myself about 8 years ago and cured my daily morning stomach gawd-awful pains by switching to spring water only. No doc ever helped. Inflamed stomach lining has been confirmed by 2 endoscopies. The chlorine and ammonia in treated water is just too irritating, so I can't use most of the brands on the market, as they are simply "treated city water" run through a carbon filter. Interesting to learn that someone else can't tolerate treated water.

Linda

 

[SeilerBird]

WOW Seilerbird. I have the same problem, -- had it since I was 9 years old and only figured it out myself about 8 years ago and cured my daily morning stomach gawd-awful pains by switching to spring water only. No doc ever helped. Inflamed stomach lining has been confirmed by 2 endoscopies. The chlorine and ammonia in treated water is just too irritating, so I can't use most of the brands on the market, as they are simply "treated city water" run through a carbon filter. Interesting to learn that someone else can't tolerate treated water.

Linda

Several times over the past few years a similar thread has had some responders that claimed that bottled water is nothing but tap water in a fancy bottle and had no advantages other than costing a lot of money. I would mention that I had gotten sick from tap water but never sick from bottled water. I am glad to see someone else feels like I do.

 

[camperAL]

We fill our RV water tank (55 gal) with campground water but we test it by tasting it. I've fill the tank with foul smelling water before on the road and had to dump and refill.

We only use the RV Tank for showers and washing the dishes and so forth. We always take gallon bottled water for drinking purposes and that works out good most of the time. I also have two blue six gallon water containers (walmart) to fill when we are out longer.

So far the only place we have found water decent enough to drink from a camp ground was in lower New Mexico which treats their water for the campers. Saved
me dollars on buying water for a period of time.