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Connecting RV Water Line to Black Tank Flush?

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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13815
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 6:13pm
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Topic: Connecting RV Water Line to Black Tank Flush?
Posted By: Grant177
Subject: Connecting RV Water Line to Black Tank Flush?
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2020 at 5:07pm
So, I have not been to ANY (yet) RV parks where there is a dedicated drain for black/grey water.  We are going to one in a couple weeks that has power, water, and drainage at each RV site.

That said, I was wondering if it is "allowed" to connect your black water hose to the RV site water spigot to flush/drain your black water tank?

It would seem to me that would be a bad thing.  I would think you would only want a potable water hose to be connected to any spigot where someone may drink from...but then you would also not want your potable hose connected to your black water flush valve either (I have the Rhino one that is right on the flush hose).

Can someone school me on this?  I don't drink my RV water regardless, but some may.  I think I already know the answer, but I just don't recall seeing this noted anywhere.


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Grant
2011 R-Pod 177



Replies:
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2020 at 5:18pm
I would not do that. If they have a dump station that is where I would connect my flush line.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."


Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2020 at 5:42pm
If you use a good biological agent in your black tank such as TankTech's Rx, Unique Product's RV Digest-It, or Happy Camper, you may not need to use the black tank flush every time you drain the black tank. TankTech's Rx specifically says not to as part of the way it functions is to build up the good bacteria in the tank to break down wastes. When you use the black tank flush, you wash out those bacteria colonies. Just dump the tank and then use the gray water to wash out the hose.

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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2020 at 7:37pm
+1 to mcarter. Please do not connect your blackwater flush to the potable water hose bibb at your campsite. You could contaminate the fresh water line via backflow. Granted its not likely, but possible. Why take the risk? 

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2020 at 8:46pm
The risk of contamination is minimal as there is an anti-backflow device with an air gap so it would likely be safe. However, I still would not like the idea of connecting my drinking water hose to a faucet to which someone had connected a hose used for black water flushing. It isn't that I think the tank's water would be contaminating the hose, but the dirty hands of someone handling sewage hose and flush hose wihtout sanitizing between handling them. In that case, a bottle of bleach is a good thing to carry along and sanitize the faucet before connecting.

I was at an RV park in Kentucky where the sewage drain was close to the fresh water faucet. The kicker was that the fresh water faucet was recessed into the ground. When we got there, it had been raining heavily and the recess for the faucet was flooded. The next day after the rain had stopped and the water had drained from the recess, I definitely used a good amount of bleach on that faucet before connecting my hose to it. That was probably the worst setup for water and sewer of any place we have stayed. It was done so the park could be open year-round. Better would have been freeze-proof stand pipes. Then the fresh water faucet would have been above the level of the sewage connection instead of below it.


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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 4:56am
Originally posted by StephenH

The risk of contamination is minimal as there is an anti-backflow device with an air gap so it would likely be safe. However, I still would not like the idea of connecting my drinking water hose to a faucet to which someone had connected a hose used for black water flushing. It isn't that I think the tank's water would be contaminating the hose, but the dirty hands of someone handling sewage hose and flush hose wihtout sanitizing between handling them. In that case, a bottle of bleach is a good thing to carry along and sanitize the faucet before connecting.

Exactly! Minimal risk and likely safe. Backflow preventers can fail, or there could be cross contamination via airborne microbes. And yep there are many RV'ers who connect their fresh and flush lines with a Y and don't have problems. But since its totally unnecessary anyway, why do it? 

BTW, if there aren't backflow preventers at each campsite at the place with the recessed faucets the whole water system could get contaminated by a flooding rain like that. All it would take is a loss of water pressure and an open submerged faucet. One more reason for me to never drink or brush my teeth with my tank water....


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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 10:30am
I would trust my tank water over an RV site with a recessed water supply any day. I know the condition of my tank water. BTW, I did try to contact the public health department for that area, but never heard anything back. I can't imagine that setup meeting any sort of sanitation code.

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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS



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