Question Sanitizing your RV fresh water tank

[DennisT]

We do ours once per year using the recommendations in the manual.

We do spring the water from the tank when needed - outside three filter setup, softener, and whole house filter.

Being full time we keep the fresh tank full while parked and travel with about 1/3 tank.

The other piece that we do more often is the supply hose. That gets sanitized about every 8 weeks on my current schedule. Using the whole house filter for adding sanitizing materials does not get the hose. I use the regen housing from the softener to do the hose portion sanitize.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

I've seen this topic come up a couple times here, so I figured it's best to copy my response so it'll be found on this thread as well as a new post I made on the Newell sub-forum here.

Much discussion has transpired over the years regarding the need for sanitizing our Newell's freshwater tank. Newell actually doesn't feel there's a need, based on many factors; on-board filters, types of resorts visited, to name a couple.

In fact, our 2015 coach doesn't have a "fresh-water" rinse/filler port. Many coaches HAVE been configured to have one, especially from those who have come from other coaches.

Personally, I feel that the ONLY good answer for someone who asks if they should sanitize their tank is, "Sure, it can't hurt if you do it properly". To me, this is a lot more prudent than the answer I've heard, which is, "Why?". After all, there's NO downside to sanitizing your tank and, if nothing else, can provide you with peace of mind.

So, I set out to configure a nice little package I can carry which allows me to, very quickly, connect to the hose bib, add bleach, then inject that bleach into my tank using the built-in fill hose. This not only is super convenient, but it also gives me the advantage of running bleach through the fill hose. Of course, I make sure that fresh water thoroughly flushes both the filter housing and the hose BEFORE I disconnect.

Here's the procedure I use, which is in accordance with Aquahot:

1. Have your fresh tank around 1/2 full.
2. SHUT YOUR ON-BOARD WATER FILTER VALVE OFF on the Wet Bay panel.
3. Connect this induction system to the hose bib and coach's filler hose.
4. Fill housing with 2 3/4c NON-SCENTED NON-GEL Household Bleach. This small housing is the PERFECT size for the 143 gallon tank...fill it to the brim.
5. Fill the rest of the tank with water. This will induct the pure bleach into hose and tank and, at by the time the tank is full, the housing and hose will have been flushed with clean water.
6. Disconnect everything.
7. Take a quick lap around the lot, shaking the coach/tank as much as possible.
8. Open EVERY faucet, spigot, and shower head...both hot and cold sides...and flush toilets, until you smell chorinated water come out.
9. Let set for a minimum of 4 hours. I do it overnight.
10. Drain tank completely.
11. Fill tank to about 20% with fresh water.
12. Open all faucets, showers, and flush toilets once again, to flush with fresh water.
13. Open water filter valve.
14. Fill tank completely with my 3-stage filter & softened water system.