RV 101® / RV Education 101®

Take a minute to think about the water system on your RV.

First, consider that you add and use water from a different source every time you take the RV camping. Second, consider that some water remains in the RV water lines and in the fresh water holding tank, even after you drain it. This water could potentially sit for several months at a time between RV trips and during storage.

These two points alone should convince you that filtering your RV water makes sense. I always recommend folks sanitize the RV water system every spring when you take the RV out of storage, and any time you detect an odor in the plumbing system. I will save sanitizing the RV water system for another post, so we can concentrate on water filtration.

After making the decision to filter your RV water you need to decide on the best water filtration system for you. There are several different ways you can do it.

• One option is to filter all the water coming into the RV. Some people like this option because even the water you shower with is filtered. There are water filtration systems that can be installed directly into the RV’s plumbing system, and other water filters you simply connect in-line using the RV drinking hose.
• To go a step further there are water filtration systems that use a single filter cartridge and others that use two cartridges, which usually means there is a sediment filter and a some type of carbon filter used in the system.
• A third option is to only filter the water you use for cooking and drinking. In this case the water filter is usually installed in-line under a counter at the sink, or sinks you drink from in the RV.

There are numerous brands of filtration systems to choose from, and many are designed specifically with RVs in mind. Water filters are not difficult to install. You can do-it-yourself, or take the RV to your local RV dealer and have the installation done.

Regardless of how you do it, I personally think filtering the water is a smart decision and You can rest assured the water you drink, cook with and shower with is safe to use.