Water Filters For Camping, RV’s and Boats
Summer is here and for RV’ers that means prime camping season is upon us. Getting your camper or RV ready for your trip is essential and you’ll want to make sure you have fresh clean drinking water available at all times for your adventure. While water contamination is worrisome for the populace in general, it creates a special dilemma for travelers, RV’ers in particular. Not only must RV’ers draw water from unfamiliar sources, they must deal with what can happen to the water once its inside their RVs holding tank.
For RV’ers who consume water from their RV tanks, the most important fact to remember is that potable water doesn’t stay potable for long. By the time city water reaches the tap, the chlorine level is already reduced. An RV water tank is like a large petri dish on wheels. Air, heat and the sloshing of the water will quickly dissipated the remaining residual chlorine and revitalize any micro-organisms that the serve chlorine had inhibited but not killed. This hearty new culture will render the water unpalatable and perhaps non-potable, producing slime and algae in the tank and lines.
To prevent this problem, the RV owners must, in effect, take over where the municipal water facility left off. Basically, this means maintaining a safe system, treating the water that is stored in your holding tank and installing a water purification system.
Here’s a DIY method for sanitizing the water system yourself:
Add 1 cup of bleach to a gallon of water and pour it into the empty tank. Then fill the tank and run all faucets until you smell bleach. Let the water system set for 24 hours, then drain and fill with fresh water. Run water through all faucets until there is no longer a bleach smell. This may take a couple tanks of water to eliminate the bleach from the system.
The tank is now ready to be filled for the trip. At this point, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advocates using a method called “Super-chlorination / de- chlorination” to prevent bacterial growth while traveling. By this method, chlorine is added to the water in increased amounts to provide a minimum chlorine residual of 3.0 ppm (parts per million) for a contact period of five minutes. You now have a reservoir full of water with a high concentration of chlorine. It’s safe from a baby boom of bacteria, but it’s definitely not the means of a good cup of coffee. This is where the need for a de-chlorination device comes in.
Next, You’ll want to install a drinking water filter. We recommend a Multipure water filter.
Multipure products are tested and certified to reduce a wide range of contaminants of health concern including Lead, Chlorine, Chloramines, (disinfection by products), VOC’s, Cysts, Giardia & Cryptosporidium and many more. (see complete list below).
The Multipure countertop or under sink filters are perfect for homes, apartments, RVs, boats and offices. Multipure water filters use a solid carbon block filter that is considered to be the most effective way to reduce a wide rang of contaminants that may be present in your water. The carbon is compacted into a dens structure so every molecule of water is forced through microscopic pores of carbon.
Contaminants mechanically filtered by the Solid Carbon Block filter:
• Asbestos – mineral once used in building insulation; known to cause cancer
• Cysts – dormant microorganisms that may include bacteria and parasites
• Particulates – miscellaneous physical particles that can cause turbidity (general water cloudiness)
Contaminants chemically adsorbed or reduced by the Solid Carbon Block filter:
• Radon – A radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless gas
• Chlordane – used as a pesticide
• Lead and mercury – types of metals; known neurotoxins that can poison the blood, nervous system, and brain
• MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) – used as a gasoline additive
• PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) – a fluid used in many electrical components
• Toxaphene – a banned, highly toxic insecticide
• VOCs – volatile organic compounds
Contaminants reduced through chemical reaction:
• Chlorine and chloramine – chemicals often used as disinfectants
Detailed Contaminant Reduction List With Multipure Solid Carbon Block Technology
Multipure Drinking Water Systems are NSF certified, and tested according to NSF/ANSI Standards 42 (Aesthetics Effects) and 53 (Health Effects) for the reduction of:
Contaminants limits set by NSF/ANSI Standard 42 (Aesthetic Effects):
Chloramine
Chlorine
Particulate matter, Class I (0.5 to < 1 micron)
Contaminants limits set by NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (Health Effects):Arsenic V (only the Multipure MP880 series and MP750PlusRO systems are certified to reduce Arsenic V)
Asbestos
Chlordane
Cyst (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, Toxoplasma)
Lead (pH 6.5, pH 8.5)
Mercury (pH 6.5, pH 8.5)
MTBE
PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyls)
Toxaphene
Turbidity
VOC (Volatile Organic Chemicals):
Alachlor
Atrazine
Benzene
Carbofuran
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chlorobenzene
Chloropicrin
2,4-D
Dibromochloropropane
o-Dichlorobenzene
p-Dichlorobenzene
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,1-Dichloroethylene
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
1,2 Dichloropropane
cis-1,3-Dichloropropylene
Dinoseb
Endrin
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene Dibromide (EDB)
Haloacetonitriles (HAN):
Bromochloroacetonitrile
Dibromoacetonitrile
Dichloroacetonitrile
Trichloroacetonitrile
Haloketones (HK):
1,1-dichloro-2-propanone
1,1,1-trichloro-2-propanone
Heptachlor
Heptachlor Epoxide
Hexachlorobutadiene
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Pentachlorophenol
Simazine
Styrene
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
Tribromoacetic acid
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Trihalomethanes (TTHM):
Chloroform (surrogate chemical)
Bromoform
Bromodichloromethane
Dibromochloromethane
Xylenes (total)
* Multipure Aquaperform models are certified to reduce Arsenic V and all other contaminants listed. Multipure Aquaversa and Aquadome models do not reduce Arsenic V; however, they reduce all other contaminants listed. The list of contaminants that Multipure Drinking Water Systems reduce does not mean that these substances are present in your tap water. Be sure to check for compliance with state and local laws and regulations.
The Multipure line of products will filter your water for approximately (1 Year) or 750 gallons. It is recommended that you replace the cartridge when the following occurs:
1) annually, 2) the units rated capacity is reached, 3) when the water flow slows down or the filter becomes saturated with bad tastes and odors.
Benefits of the Multipure Water Filter:
*No electricity is needed and can be used as a gravity filter
* Easy to install and convenient to use, and provides great tasting healthier drinking water whenever you need it.
* Your coffee, juices, tea and any other drinks you might use with your water will taste better.
* Highest quality water for cooking you will enjoy better pasta, sauces and soups.
* You will have better quality water for mixing baby formula and cereal.
* Multipure filters are backed by a 90 day guarantee and a lifetime warranty.
* Enjoy healthier, better tasting water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water.
* NSF/ANSI certified to standard 42 and 53 and certified by the state of California.
Now your water is safe and your good to go for your road trip!
Related Sources:
How To Prepare Your RV For Its First Summer Outing After Being Stored For The Winter