Nothing is more natural to us than turning on the tap, even on board. After all, the tanks on most boats are well dimensioned - and if necessary, there is an opportunity to refill directly at the berth in almost every harbour. There is nothing better for the quality of the water tapped in the galley than a constant throughput: keep emptying and refilling. If the water exchange is high, germs can hardly form.
If drinking water is stored for longer, germs and bacteria have an easy time multiplying
However, if you use your boat occasionally at weekends and only top up the tank every few weeks or even months, you should keep an eye on the quality of the drinking water. Especially in summer, when the boat is moored at the jetty with full tanks in high temperatures, the conditions are ideal for germs to spread and multiply. The tank water should then no longer be used for drinking or cooking. Many owners have a small 5-litre canister in the galley, which they refill every two days on land and use the contents to make coffee or tea - a practical solution to avoid the danger from the tank. But if you have an expensive boat moored at the jetty, you usually want to enjoy the convenience of getting your coffee water from the tap like at home - and not have to fiddle with canisters like when camping in a tent.
Three steps are important for this: firstly, to fill up with water without impurities. Secondly, the water in the tank must be preserved with additives. But even germ-free water is no fun if it contains suspended particles or tastes "like a tank", i.e. like rubber, plastic or tin. Therefore, in the third step, it is important to pass the water through a carbon filter on the way to the tap, which not only filters out impurities, but also substances that spoil the flavour.
1. clean in the tank
To ensure that the refuelled water (especially from dubious sources) does not enter the tank already contaminated, it is a good idea to loop a pre-filter into the hose line. These are often available from boat or camping shops. Even if their stated filter capacities of several 1000 litres should be sufficient for several years of use, they must be replaced after one year at the latest so that the filtered out substances deposited in the filter do not have the counter-effect of contaminating clean drinking water. Depending on the design, a Gardena connector should be attached to the filter so that it can be fitted to existing hoses in the harbours. However, it is better to carry your own hose, as the hoses in the marinas are often not very hygienic and have already "penetrated" somewhere else.
2. preserve tank water
While in the tropics and other warm countries where water quality is at high risk, chlorine is often added by the water supplier, in this country the water comes out of the tap without any additives. If it is to be stored for a longer period of time to protect it from germs, there are many remedies. Additives are available in tablet, powder or liquid form, but also as solid inserts. The active ingredients are different.
In Germany, silver ions ( Aquaclean , Micropur Classic , Dr Keddo Microsept , Certisil Argento ) is a common remedy. The antibacterial effect of silver was already known in the Middle Ages, and silver ions are used today in many everyday products to prevent odours, mould and fungi. Silver ions are highly reactive and fight not only bacteria but also microbes. This is why preservatives with silver ions are very popular in water sports. However, owners of boats with aluminium tanks should not overdose, according to the motto "a lot helps a lot", to prevent pitting. However, in the correct dosage, silver ions are also quite safe for aluminium tanks.
Pre-filter, preserve, filter again - this ensures enjoyment even after long storage periods
If the water has been in the tank for a long time or if there is a risk of contamination, agents containing silver ions and chlorine ( Aquaclean Quick , Micropur Forte , Certisil Combina ), which, in addition to the long-lasting bacterial protection provided by the ions, also have a strong disinfecting effect due to the chlorine and often clean an entire tank in just 30 minutes.
One disadvantage of these additives is, of course, that they are absorbed into the human body with the water. According to the manufacturer, this is completely harmless, but still not everyone's cup of tea. The company takes a different approach AE-Aqua , which has developed a filter made of stainless steel elements that keeps the water in clean, disinfected tanks (up to 50 litres) pure. Instead of silver ions or chlorine, the company relies on a catalytic process in which a microelectric field forms between the precious metal coatings, which creates free radicals on the surface coating, which in turn destroy microorganisms.
With its Certec water filter has also developed an insert that floats in the tank and emits negative ions, electrolysing the water and counteracting the formation of germs. A third chemical-free option is cleaning systems in which the water is disinfected with UV-C rays. The system fromAquatec cleans 8 litres per minute, is smaller than a coffee machine and has a maximum power consumption of 14 watts (1.2 amps).
3. freshly filtered into the glass
Before the water from the tank reaches the drinking water glass or toothbrush, it is a good idea to run it through an activated carbon filter. This is because such a filter not only retains suspended particles and any bacteria that may still be in the tank, but also flavour-impairing substances that may make the water taste a little stale or "tank-like".
If all three options are taken to heart - pre-filtering, preserving and filtering before removal - then nothing stands in the way of enjoyment even after a long time in the tank.
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