Are National Parks Removing Their Threaded Water Faucets?

[kb0zke]

Well, I looked at the faucet and I don't really know any more than I did from looking at it from inside. There is some sort of device screwed on there, but it may well be an adapter from pipe thread to hose thread. If I see a maintenance person out tomorrow I'll ask them.

[Dutch_12078]

The linked Water Thief is the most common "fix" for non-threaded faucets, but I also have my water pump set up to suck water from portable jugs to fill the onboard tank. I prefer doing that at parks where there only a few water taps, threaded or not, scattered around instead of moving the rig just to fill it up. I keep a 7 gallon container on hand just for that purpose. The suction system could also be used to winterize the RV with "pink stuff" if needed.

[I'mdonewiththis forum]

kb0zke, I would be really surprised if there is not a backflow preventer on the spigot somewhere since they are required by plumbing codes. Shoot, even an outside hose bib on a house requires them.

[edatlanta]

Back to the original question: How do I fill my water tank if I can't screw the hose to the faucet?

 

Second question: Should I carry a backflow prevention device? They aren't all that expensive (<$10 from Amazon). I'm thinking that many of our preferred parks (COE, State) generally have them permanently attached. We're in a city campground right now, and I don't think there is one on the faucet. I'll pay attention to it when I go out after supper to fill the tank.

Where I am hosting now I am responsible for 40 sites. I check the sites after each camper leaves to make sure they are clean and ready for the next camper. We have backflow preventers here as required by the state and I replace 4-5 every day. They seem to walk off with the departing campers. Yes, even the ones with the break off set screw disappear. Of course the threads on the faucet are destroyed in the process.

[Kirk W]

We have backflow preventers here as required by the state and I replace 4-5 every day. They seem to walk off with the departing campers. Yes, even the ones with the break off set screw disappear. Of course the threads on the faucet are destroyed in the process.

Wow! You must host in a tough neighborhood. We last served as campground hosts in SD, summer of 2014 where we had the preventers with lock on setscrews. At Shep's Canyon we only had 22 campsites but the only preventer that I replaced all summer was one that failed to work.

[edatlanta]

Wow! You must host in a tough neighborhood. We last served as campground hosts in SD, summer of 2014 where we had the preventers with lock on setscrews. At Shep's Canyon we only had 22 campsites but the only preventer that I replaced all summer was one that failed to work.

I think the campers that take them think they are pressure reducers. We have 176 sites in this park so there are a lot of them out there and this park does have high pressure. I have seen it as high as 87 psi (I have a picture of my gauge showing this).

[Zulu]

I have heard about the common contamination problem on threads, but a strong spray solution of bleach should take care of spreading that . . .

If you don't pre-clean the surface with something like soap and water first, then you're just wasting your bleach.

[Vette Racer]

The backflow preventers I have ran across don't have threads on the end so you can't hook up a hose to it, I usually just take some tools and remove it, hook my hose on and when I'm done, put it back on.

[2gypsies]

The backflow preventers I have ran across don't have threads on the end so you can't hook up a hose to it, I usually just take some tools and remove it, hook my hose on and when I'm done, put it back on.

 

The reason there's a backflow preventer is to hopefully prevent you from doing what you did.

[StarDreamers.us]

Thanks for sharing. Very good information.

 

Safe Travels!

[Sehc]

The devices that screw to the hose bib are anti siphon valves at best. Back pressure can flow back through most anti siphon valves. True back-flow prevention must be a duel check valve with an atmospheric vent to meet safe drinking water requirements. Water contamination from back-flow is a very real danger.

[Bobi and Dick McKee]

I assume most on this board are in the "senior" class like us. How did we live so long with out back flow preventers, or faucets that actually contained lead in the brass, HEPA filters, etc.

[John Parker]

Back to the original question: How do I fill my water tank if I can't screw the hose to the faucet?

 

Second question: Should I carry a backflow prevention device? They aren't all that expensive (<$10 from Amazon). I'm thinking that many of our preferred parks (COE, State) generally have them permanently attached. We're in a city campground right now, and I don't think there is one on the faucet. I'll pay attention to it when I go out after supper to fill the tank.

 

Make an adapter. Camco makes one called the Water Bandit. But my experience with that one is that if you put any pressure in it, the rubber will split open. Also, it only comes in one small size. I made several in many sizes by using different diameters of clear plastic (potable) tubing from Ace Hardware, different adapters with hose threads on one end, and screw-down hose clamps. I like to put a blackflow preventer on it too, so if anyone complains I can tell them that they are protected. It seems that camp hosts really don't like to see you use one, even if they can't give you a good reason why. The other way is to "jug it" in. But if the faucet isn't just the right height, it is hard to get water into the jug in the first place. They are heavy to lift. Someone will have to hold a funnel for you (except Walmart has a nice 5 gallon jug made by Reliant that has a spout that will fit right into most gravity water inlets.) Or, especially if you only have a pressure water fill, you could use your water pump and the jug.

[John Parker]

If you don't pre-clean the surface with something like soap and water first, then you're just wasting your bleach.

 

I would think that bleach alone would be enough????

[sandsys]

 

I would think that bleach alone would be enough????

 

Most of us don't give the bleach enough time to do anything. If you spray the faucet before you level, put out slides, test and hook up electricity, etc. you might be giving the bleach enough time to work.

 

Linda Sand