Onboard water tanks and winter camping in freezing temps

[nicq]

I wonder how long it takes for water to leave the filtration plant to arriving at your tap at home ?
Maybe this could put it in perspective.

[ghost123uk]

I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

Volvic spring water, filtered through volcanic rock over millions of years (use within 30 days of purchase)

[AdrianC]

I still can't see why anyone would choose to drink or cook with water that has been sitting in a tank for a few days,
....when you were not out wild camping.

A large proportion of houses in the UK have cold water tanks in the attic, do they not?

[nicq]

They do say you should not drink from the tank supply which is why you have a mains supply in your kitchen, but saying that you still clean your teeth in the bathroom

[Ian Hulley]

Most houses built since ~1996 don't have a cold water storage tank, only a small header tank to feed the hot water cylinder.

[1664]

None of your cold water taps should come off a tank no matter where they are, including the bathroom and regardless of what year the plumbing was installed. The exception being REALLY old houses with a third tap in the kitchen fed by an open rainwater tank on a flat roof - used for washing clothes so my granny informed me....

[Ian Hulley]

The exception being REALLY old houses with a third tap in the kitchen fed by an open rainwater tank on a flat roof - used for washing clothes so my granny informed me....

So THAT'S why Grannies always smelled the way they did ... weshin their clothes in drowned dead things and mouldy leaves

Ian

[nicq]

If you look up the regs from DEFRA if a cold tank is fitted it can still supply all rooms except the kitchen. Main feed only came in with the advent of condenser boilers. Most pre 60s houses were plumbed that way.

[1664]

If you look up the regs from DEFRA if a cold tank is fitted it can still supply all rooms except the kitchen. Main feed only came in with the advent of condenser boilers. Most pre 60s houses were plumbed that way.

That's interesting; the various houses I have lived in were built in the 1950's, 1930's, 1910's, and 1920's and none of them had cold water taps fed from tanks. To be fair the houses built in the 1910's and 20's were downstair bathroom affairs so not really relevant from that point of view, but the rest are

The 1950's house was a new build when my parents bought it, the 1930's house was bought in the late 60's so I suppose it could have been up dated (but looking at the bathroom when we moved in I doubt it) and the 30's house I bought myself in the eighties so again could have been updated.

[nicq]

I only picked it up because I have had 3 like it. I got to say its scary though isint it. A lot of tanks have all sorts of crap in them alive and dead.
Perhaps its not only gran that had that smell

[keith]

Filled up my westy tank once in 5 years....first month we had the van.....drove from stoke to Norfolk with 70 odd litres?.....and parked 5 foot from a tap on a campsite.

Never bothered since.....if I was a wild camper....it would be a different story.

[Ian Hulley]

Ah, the excitement you lush Westie owners manage to cope with

[keith]

Lush....but with the added grass roots approach that only a plastic 4 litre bottle can bring.....it is a French one though....we change it every year

[Timwhy]

Usually I carry four gallons of drinking water in my Westy. I wouldn't keep water in the onboard tank on the off chance it wouldn't get cracked in the winter. Play it safe I guess!

[Jeff J]

We have not used our recently purchased Auto-sleeper yet(fair weather camper I'm afraid) & one of the things I was wondering is whether it is necessary to use sterilizing tablets in the under-slung water tank, especially when it has been stood empty without use for 5/6 years prior to our buying it . Sorry it's a little bit off topic.