# Sanitizing The City Water System



## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I had a little boo boo yesterday afternoon. I can only blame it on fatique... Well, that, or plain stupidity!. After returning from our weekend camping trip, we headed for the dump station. Drained the black tank, hooked up the Quickie-Flush hose and turned on the water. Some of you may see where this is going...

After about 30 seconds, I realized that not only was there not any water flushing out the discharge hose, but I couldn't hear that Quickie-Flush roar that signals my black tank is being thoroughly cleaned. Hmm... odd, I thought to myself. That is until I noticed the hose not connected to the Quickie-Flush connection, but instead, that for the city water.









So here's the deal. I do not know the source of the water at the dump station. It's may be fine, but I have to assume it is not potable. I use a special hose for the Quickie-Flush, that is only used for that. The Quickie-Flush fitting is supposed to have a check-valve integral to it, so in theory, there should have never been any prior backflow into the hose from the black tank. The water lines were full, and no faucets were open, so there was no circulation of water through the system. In a word... Scary!

So, the question is, how do I sanitize the city water lines? Running bleach through the fresh water tank will take care of most of the lines, but not those from the city water connection to the point where it joins the rest of the plumbing (also separated by a check valve, I assume). Is there a flush kit available that has a means of injecting bleach into that part of the system? (I know I could build one, but it would be $$$). Would I be best off simply replacing the lines in that portion of the system? Or maybe just shoot myself in the head now, and get it over with!?!









What do you guys think?

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Boy that is a good one. I am not laughing...really.









To sanitize the lines, if any water got in there, and some probably did, I would fill the fresh tank with bleach water (as if you were dewinterizing / sanitizing) and flush the lines.

Then, with the water pump on, pretend you are WINTERIZING, and remove the screen on the city water connection and press the little backflow device in to allow bleach water to flow up and out of the city water connection.

Then let things sit overnight. Flush everything again with baking soda water the next day. Then you are back in business.

Randy


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

You maybe able to connect a very short piece of hose (I am thinking of the short hose that comes with some water filters) and pour bleach directly into th hose. I should run into the line from the city water connection and the pump???

Or maybe not, just my first thought.

Gary


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Thanks Randy!

So what you are saying, is that by pushing the 'backflow button' at the hose connection, the pump will actually force water backwards through the line and out the hose connection. Do I read you correctly there?

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I agree with Randy...
I would be VERY CAREFUL when pushing on the thingy at the city water connection. It's easy to knock it out of whack...and it's a PAIN to replace or reset!

PS...don't get any of that bleachy water in your eyes, or on your clothing when it shoots outta there!


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I would do as Gary said. Pour some bleach in your hose and run it into the city connection. Pushing the check valve in many times results in unseating the valve and then you have hope you can re seat it.

Have fun.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Doug don't feel bad it happens. I'd open up one faucet at a time, use two uses, put a shut off valve on the one from the house. Add some bleach to the hose connected to the trailer, connect the hose and turn on the water let it flow through. Do this for each outlet, both hot and cold. Then add some water & bleach to the fresh water tank, drive around to mix it up. Then run all the lines for a few to really sanitize the whole system. That should take care of the tank, lines, faucets, and hot water tank. Then flush the black/grey tanks. Then it's time to go camping so you can have a Mike's Hard Lemonade for all the hard work you went through.


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## dancinmon (Oct 5, 2004)

When winterizing or in your case trying to get bleach down to the city water inlet it is best to turn off the pump and then open any faucet to let most of the pressure out of the line. Then remove the water inlet screen and push in the backflow valve. You don't want too much pressure or the o-ring in the backflow valve will unseat and it will leak when your pump is on and no hose is attached. As mentioned above they are a pain to fix. I believe there was a thread some time ago that explained how to fix them.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Thanks for all the great advice guys!









I think I will start with the first, and then work my way down the list, doing each in turn. After having completed a half a dozen or so seperate sanitations, I may just feel comfortable enough to use the water system again.









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

PDX_Doug said:


> So what you are saying, is that by pushing the 'backflow button' at the hose connection, the pump will actually force water backwards through the line and out the hose connection. Do I read you correctly there?
> 
> [snapback]112653[/snapback]​


You read me exactly. This is required procedure when winterizing. If you don't do it, and water is still in the line behind the backflow device, you are looking at a burst hose...no matter how great you think you dewinterized.

With the pump on, press the backflow device in slightly to let some bleach water into the line (it will start coming out around your finger). Let is run out for 20 seconds or so to make sure you are getting bleach water out, then release.

Randy


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## dougdogs (Jul 31, 2004)

I have done what Gary said, and it worked very well


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Fire44 said:


> You maybe able to connect a very short piece of hose (I am thinking of the short hose that comes with some water filters) and pour bleach directly into th hose. I should run into the line from the city water connection and the pump???
> 
> Or maybe not, just my first thought.
> 
> ...


That should work Gary
I would give it a try

Don


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sorry to hear about the problems Doug. Seems as if you have some good options here to resolve your problem.

ps...hope PDX_Bobcat is doing better.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Fire44 said:


> You maybe able to connect a very short piece of hose (I am thinking of the short hose that comes with some water filters) and pour bleach directly into th hose. I should run into the line from the city water connection and the pump???
> 
> Or maybe not, just my first thought.
> 
> ...


That is how I do it.

Thor


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

If you have help around you can bleed off the pressure from the pump and then push the check valve in while the other person turns on the pump. Open a spigot in the tt too so there isn't enough pressure to spray you down. If you push on that check valve with pressure on it you're asking for trouble. I didn't think I'd ever get mine back.


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## OutbackPM (Sep 14, 2005)

PDX_Doug said:


> I had a little boo boo yesterday afternoon. I[snapback]112644[/snapback]​


 Doug

I thought you were starting one of those blond jokes when I first looked at the title







.

Hope you get it fixed. The ideas should work if executed with care.

David


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Wow, Doug that sucks. I hope things work out. Sounds like a bunch of good suggestions here, and I have filed them in my head for when I make the same mistake, as it will happen. It's just a matter of when it will happen.

Randy, you can also blow out the city line with compressed air. That is what I do every year. I then fill the water system with the RV antifreeze.

Tim


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

To prevent this sort of thing in the future, maybe you could put a unique hose fitting on your flush hose and flush valve. Some sort of quick-disconnect or something that you would not have on your city water connection. That way even if you're real tired, when you realize it don't fit...


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> noticed the hose not connected to the Quickie-Flush connection, but instead, that for the city water.


So, hey, what's the matter with a little e-coli, anyway?
















Seriously, Doug, good luck in getting it cleaned out.

Mark


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

j1mfrog said:


> To prevent this sort of thing in the future, maybe you could put a unique hose fitting on your flush hose and flush valve. Some sort of quick-disconnect or something that you would not have on your city water connection. That way even if you're real tired, when you realize it don't fit...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That, Sir, is a capital idea!









I like the way you think!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

All my water connections and hoses are quick disconnect except the Tornado hose , easier


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

So....which idea did you implement?


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

tdvffjohn said:


> All my water connections and hoses are quick disconnect except the Tornado hose , easier
> 
> 
> 
> ...


John,

What, if anything, do you use to cap the quick disconnect during storge and travel?

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

"RV TODAY" showed this trick last week...

You simply hook your hose to the city water connection.
Get a small funnel, and pour bleach into the hose. 
Hook the hose to your water source and turn on the water.
Enter the RV and open a water fixture for a few seconds.
Let the bleach sit for awhile.
Flush by opening water faucets again.

This is a good way to sanitize your water hoses as well.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Guess we'll never know what Doug did to resolve his problem..


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