Checking for parasites in the fresh water tanks

[Cliffy]

After six weeks of stomach pains feeling sick and running to the toilet three times a day my wife and I have been diagnosed with 'giardiasis' a parasitic infection of the stomach normally only found in developing countries. It is a repotable illness in this country,

 

the source of the infection cannot be determined. The health inspector does not think it will have come from the Motorhome water tanks as we have not been any further than the south of France and North of Scotland and the infection is extremely rare in these areas.

It has come from somewhere, so I would like to make sure for certain my tanks are not to blame. The problem is, whilst outside the body (human or animal) the parasite is not killed by normal methods of disinfectant methods. It is killed by boiling the water for at least10 seconds or maintaining it over 60 deg for thirty seconds. So the hot water is no problem but how can I ensure the tank and the cold water pipes are safe.

The parasites are not affected by chlorine at normal levels and I would not want to use a high concentrations. They are only single cell so filtering is not viable.

 

 

I am pleased to say the infection is easily cured with a course of tablets and we are now on our way to full health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rolandrat]

I think this will generate quite a lot of interest as most campers take on water from anywhere they can get it but all water supplying authorities have very stringent regulations to adhere to and are monitored by the environment authority on a regular basis as is waste water (sewerage). As far as parasites are concerned it would be an eye opener for anyone going on a tour of a sewerage treatment works to see just what is passed by the human body, you would be very surprised.

[Derek Uzzell]

Cliffy - 2011-08-13 9:56 PM

 

...The parasites are not affected by chlorine at normal levels and I would not want to use a high concentrations. They are only single cell so filtering is not viable...

 

 

If you are (quite understandably) reluctant to use 'chlorine' products, then I suggest you try Truma's "Aquastar" water-system treatments:

 

http://www.truma.com/tr/tr/water-comfort/truma-aquastar.php

 

http://www.truma.com/tr/tr/water-comfort/pros-cons-products-cleaning-desinfection.php

 

http://www.truma.com/tr/tr/water-comfort/aquastar-questions-answers.php

[Robinhood]

Cliffy - 2011-08-13 9:56 PM

 

The parasites are not affected by chlorine at normal levels and I would not want to use a high concentrations. They are only single cell so filtering is not viable.

 

 

 

..... whilst you may wish to check the authenticity ofany supplier's statement, at face value this appears to be questionable, as the Nature Pure filter that many motorhomers fit specifically claims to be able to filter out Giardia (amongst other "nasties")

 

http://www.purewateronline.co.uk/images/stories/pdfs/NaturePure%20Product%20Datasheet.pdf

 

Information I can find on the web indicates that Giardia is considered to be filterable, but only by filters with specific characterisitcs.

[hallii]

There are around 3,000 cases each year in the UK and some if not most originate from "water parks"and swimming baths. It can also be found on salads washed in infected water, ( ready to eat washed salad anyone?).

 

I use "Elsil" in my tank, but cannot find any specific reference to giardiasis on the company site. I am emailing them to find out.

 

H

[rupert123]

Personally I am not sure you could ever guarentee your tank is 100% safe. I do put tablets in mine and flush it through once a year but my wife and I would never drink from the tank, we carry seperate water container for this.

[duetto owner]

salad and veg from east africa is washed in local water before wrapped and flown to europe. we boycott their produce for this very reason.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

We have never drunk water directly from our tanks, boiled or otherwise. I know for a fact of two loops that on the filling side on our van trap water even when drained off, add in other water that sit's in the pipes after a trip out, maybe for weeks on end, and come to your own conclusions. Separate 2.5 container for us that is easily sterilized , or bottled on rare occasions. ;-)

[Basil]

We have always drunk water from the onboard tanks with absolutely no problem whatsoever, over 40 years!

 

Our daughter has had the same condition after a holiday in Cornwall and, as stated being a notifiable problem, the health offical that visited us first question was 'so which exotic place have you been on holiday'. That year we had only visited Cornwall and it is believed that it was contracted from the sea off the north Cornwall coast (Newquay, Perranporth or that area) probably dropped by a passing ship flushing its waste, that was the conclusion that we were given anyway. Quite worrying really.

 

Bas

[Derek Uzzell]

I understand the thinking behind not drinking water from a motorhome's fresh-water tank, but I do sometimes wonder about the logic.

 

For making tea, coffee or soft drinks, my wife uses water from plastic bottles filled at aires/campsites water-taps, but she uses water from the motorhome's fresh-water tank for washing dishes. 'Tank water' is also used for washing faces, cleaning teeth and showering.

 

Do people who say they never use tank-water for drinking also never use tank-water for dish-washing and/or personal ablutions?

[Cliffy]

Derek

That is my concern, we dont drink tank water but the parasite is so small it can enter your system through the tear ducts when washing and showering I can't imagine it is practicable to put filters on the supply to all the taps.

 

May be I could get a sample of water from the tanks analysed to see if it is infected. Does anyone know how I can go about this?

 

 

 

[mark hinde]

Derek Uzzell - 2011-08-15 9:10 AM

 

I understand the thinking behind not drinking water from a motorhome's fresh-water tank, but I do sometimes wonder about the logic.

 

For making tea, coffee or soft drinks, my wife uses water from plastic bottles filled at aires/campsites water-taps, but she uses water from the motorhome's fresh-water tank for washing dishes. 'Tank water' is also used for washing faces, cleaning teeth and showering.

 

Do people who say they never use tank-water for drinking also never use tank-water for dish-washing and/or personal ablutions?

 

I have to agree with the people who do not drink from the tank as the amount of laying water and pipes open to the air for long periods of time cannot be good. We use the water for dish washing, as there is soap used and water is dried off (usually by me) and for tea making if we are pushed. Other than that, its bottled water for drinking and most definately teeth brushing.

[Robinhood]

The filter factory-fitted to my Hobby is a 3M whole-system filter (fitted just after the pump, and therefore active on all taps) which was supplied from scratch with a microbial/biological filter which is of similar specification to the Nature-Pure system (i.e. it should filter out Giardia).

 

The same specification replacement filters do not appear to be available in the UK (only a lower spec, mainly taste, filter). I have identified a source which will readily supply the biological filter mail order from Germany, however.

 

The flow is much better than the single-tap Nature-Pure system I fitted to my previous 'van (in fact there is no noticeable constraint).

 

You may wish to look at:

 

http://www.campingteile.de/0000009d32093de03/aefb899e3c0e15a03/index.php

 

...the complete system is Eu 134.85, and replacement filters are Eu 66.90 (and note it is specifically the US-E2 filter which is the higher, microbial specification, not the US-E1 which is available in the UK, and is cheaper).

 

(the US-E2 filters to 0.2 micron - guidelines for Giardia and Cryptosporidium appear to require 1 micron or less).

 

The download here provides more info:

 

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UuZjcFSLXTtmxM2oxfaEVuQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--

 

....and note that the mention of "disinfected" water includes treated tap water which may then be stored before use. (i.e. it doesn't mean that other treatment is required for such tap water).

 

 

[Rayjsj]

We have a 'Nature Pure' filter and tap, which draws water from the main tank, The ads. say that they are used by Airlines, who must ,'pick up water' for their tanks from some pretty exotic places.

The replacement filters aren't cheap though £50.

But if this 'Bug' can enter via a Tear Duct in the shower ?? what do you do ??

Apart from sterilize the Tank more often . (don't use Milton !) use a 'Homebrew' type of sterilizer, it's cheap and kills 'yeast' stone dead. If it isn't rinsed thoughly enough. BUT doesn't Taint or destroy metal. (I am not showing this thread to the missus, she is paranoid enough already !) *-) Ray

[Cliffy]

 

Apparently normal sterilising fluids are non effective to this parasite as it has an external shell when it is outside the body but when inside the body, stomach acid disolves the shell and the little nastie nastie gets out, multiplies and does it's evil work before regrowing it's shell and pasing back in to the waste department waiting for some other host to do it's work on.

It sounds like filtering may work but I am not to convinced by what I have read up to now.

 

[Cliffy]

OOPs double posted!!!

 

[alan k]

From memory, only a small number of giardia cysts need to be ingested for infection to be possible. Filtration does remove them but obviously the filtration system does need to be of the correct size.

 

IF they were some in the water tank then flushing the tank out several times should remove them, there are any nooks and vrannies generally in motorhome tanks where they would lodge unlike in concrete tanks and therefore should be flushed out quite readily.

 

All public water systems in the EU operate/should be monitored to the same standards and giardia should not be present in public water supply systems. Generally infection are traced to contact with farm animals or drinking untreated suppllies and yes occasionally there are failures in water treatment but these are becoming rarer.

 

We generally use our tank water, filled from what I consider to be a clean tap with my filling hose for all uses although in hot weather we use bottled water kept in the fridge for making up soft drinks etc.

 

As earlier correspondents have said, infections are relatively few and you have been unlucky, glad to hear you are well on the way to a full recovery,

 

alan