Can i use this old water tank???

[Leanne]

Hello fellow travelers!

My older RV has a water tank that stinks to high heaven!  I think it wasn't maintained or cleaned and then sat unused for a long time.  Is it possible to sanitize it back to safe usage or do I need to replace it?  If it can be salvaged, how do I thoroughly sanitize it?  Thanks!

Happy Trails!

[bigjim]

I will let someone better at explaining tell you what to do but the answer is almost unequivically yes. Most likely will involve a good bit of water and bleach or another chemical and several fillings and drainings at a minimum.  How soon you get a definitive answer will depend on how soon some of the others read your post.

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by bigjim

[D&J]

Not that big a deal just fill it and drain it a couple of times then fill it with about 1/2 cup of bleach and water and let it set for a few hours before draining that. Fill it again with same bleach 1/2 cup and let it set overnight, run some of it into the system to kill what ever is in the lines. Drain everything and refill with just a little bleach to keep it sanitized.

Denny

[sandsys]

When the old tank is filled, do check that it is not leaking anywhere. A leak is not a good thing no matter how clean the tank is.

Linda

[lappir]

There may also be an issue of your water source. I spent my first winter in 2013 at a small "Ranch" in Wellington, Florida with my brand new home on wheels. Before long I started noticing a "Sulfur smell" while taking a shower. Turned out that the "Well Water" at the place caused the smell related to the anode rod in my water heater. I changed it out to another type, but the smell remained, mostly with the hot water. Several trips to the Culligan water place came back with water safe to drink, but I chose to use a local "Windmill" water source for all of my drinking and cooking water. I'd use the tap to wash,  brush my teeth, and shower, but not much else. I'm still mostly using big refillable bottles for coffee, drinking and some cooking. 

Hope you find the source of the odor and are able to resolve the issue. 

Rod

[Kirk W]

To sanitize the water system, mix 1/4 cup of household chlorine bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity in a container with a gallon or two of clean water then completely fill the water tank. Pump water through each faucet so that all the lines are filled with the water/bleach. You can easily smell the chlorine odor when it reaches each location. For more specific instructions just follow this link to an article that covers it. 

[Leanne]

Thanks Kirk.  Nice website!  

I will definitely check for leaks Sandsys

[LindaH]

Be sure to include the hot water tank in your sanitation.  Empty the hot water tank before starting the steps Kirk mentioned, then fill it with the bleach water.  Drain and fill with fresh water.

[Ray,IN]

One thing not mentioned when sanitizing your plumbing system is how to tell if the sanitizing solution has done what it supposed to do.  When you have filled the system with  a chlorine/water solution, run each faucet until  you smell chlorine, then allow to soak for about 4 hrs.. Then run each faucet until  you smell chlorine again, that is residual chlorine that remains after all the bacteria is killed.  If you do not smell chlorine, the sanitizing process must be repeated until you can smell chlorine after the soak period.

Afterwards the system should be flushed with clean water to remove the chlorine taste and odor.  The thing is; if you continue to use that FL well-water the objectionable odor will return.   FL is well-known for bad tasting/smelling  ground water.  BTW, you might have the county/state test the water for contaminants. Culligan might even offer this service.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Ray,IN