When traveling in your RV, do you trust the water from campground spigots? A recent study published in the journal Science revealed the prevalence of a chemical present in water called chloronitramide anion.
Although chloronitramide anion has been recognized for about three decades, this recent research offers detailed evidence of its widespread presence in drinking water across the U.S. The findings pave the way for additional studies to better understand its health implications and explore improved water treatment methods.
Chloronit-what?
Chloronitramide was found in 40 samples taken from ten different water systems across the United States. The chemical is a byproduct of the disinfectant chloramine used for water decontamination. Researchers estimate that the chemical affects approximately 113 million people across the U.S.
This recent sampling raises concerns about potential health risks for RVers using untreated campground water.
Look, taste, and smell
No doubt you’ve noticed the difference in taste and sometimes even the smell of some campground water. As we RV across the country, we notice that our coffee or tea varies in taste depending on the campground water. Some hard water areas make it difficult to suds up in the shower, and water with excessive rust can negatively affect laundry.
Let’s face it. Water varies across the United States—sometimes it varies quite a lot!
Safe water practices for RVers
To ensure safety while RVing, check out these key practices:
- Use water filters: Inline filters can remove many impurities, including harmful chemicals like chloronitramide anion. Look for filters rated for bacteria, sediment, and chemical reduction (like this one).
- Boil water: For drinking or cooking, boiling water kills most pathogens, though it won’t remove chemicals.
- Carry bottled or portable water: If you’re unsure about the campground’s water, having your own supply avoids contamination risks.
- Inspect water connections: Ensure clean hoses and fittings and use potable water hoses to avoid contamination.
- Test water quality: Portable test kits can identify potential contaminants in local water.
These steps minimize exposure to impurities, keeping you and your family safe during your RVing adventures!
Your turn
##RVT1186
Flush and shower only. Traveling with pets means do not tamper with the local water.
It depends on the taste of the water.
Incoming water goes thru water softener then a 20 micron filter, then a 2 micron, then the whole coach filter, then finally a 1micron under sink or in the fridge. I’m ok with campground water. If it’s just an overnighter, we used bottled water.
On our shakedown trip, DH and I got into an argument about using a water filter. I said YES. He said No. I won. In addition to the Camco water filter we have on the hose, I also have a Brita pitcher that I use for drinking water.
We are new to RVing and have only been to 3 campgrounds so far. I can taste the difference in water. If we end up at a campground where I dislike the taste of the water, I’ll buy bottled water.
Did it once, lesson learned. Camp water is fine for washing, clean up. I wouldn’t even cook with it.
Most of the time we’ll (me) will drink the CG water. We do have a good filter that we all ways use. Generally bottle water is used for the coffee, that way there is a consistency in the coffee taste.
I run it through 2 filters first.
If it passes my taste test, I’ll drink it. Unfortunately, our two favorite campgrounds, a COE and state park have undrinkable water. We bring bottled water (in gallon jugs).
We test campground water before drinking it.
I always use a softener and filter system. Been RVing for 60 years with no issues.
We have a 3 stage water filtration system and drink from all campgrounds.
Camco blue filter, then water softener, then “fine” in-house filter. We started using the water softener this past year and it’s been a game changer.
Us too. When we had to stay in Houston for an extended time, we noticed many of our neighbors (also there for an extended stay) had portable water softeners hooked up. We got one and it truly made a big difference. Taste-wise and ‘white buildup’ on our water fixtures decreased as well. That prompted us to get a water softener system in our stix & brix when we got home.
We carry gallon jugs of water for drinking, cooking and making coffee.
Since we have a Puronics water system at home, I don’t even like the local untreated water in our area.
While traveling, we have gone to Walmart and bought the refillable jugs of water they sell at the Kiosks, or the $1(now $1.25) gallon bottles of water they sell.
We use csmpground water but have inline filter and a Brita before we drink it.
I clicked other, because along with a filter I also use a softener. Hard water tends to mess with our two dogs’ digestive systems. The treated water works better for them, and its fine with us. We also use softened water at home, so what we drink on the road is similar to what we have at home.
I bring well water from the ranch and use campground water for showering and flushing. We camp with a dog and cat that don’t tolerate changing water supply well.
Depends on the campground, and also the use of the water. We filter & use for instant “lemonade”, for example, but only use bottled water or well water from home for tea. Chlorine residue makes AWFUL tea
We will drink the campgrounds water but we use different methods to purify it first
We have been drinking campground water for some 35 years. These days, we usually put it through the Brita counter top filter dispenser. I use it at home, because our city water is high in chlorine, so if we’re using water toted from home, it is also highly chlorinated. If we’re connected to city water, we also use an in-line filter too, as much for sediment as anything else. A couple of times over the years, we’ve encountered water that was safe, but even with filtering tasted terrible.
I do bring bottled water for my sinus rinse, and enough for drinking when my friend who is fussy about her water camps with me.Taking the space to haul it otherwise is not in our routine.
i don’t drink most waters.
i know what fish do in water!!!
W.C. Fields
yep that’s an old WC Fields schtick…
Voted ‘yes we drink it’. But only after we do a quick check. I keep enough known good water in the fresh water tank just in case (but avoid having a full tank that we pay to haul around).
Only if we are gone more than two weeks and we run out of what we brought from home.
We use bottled water for drinking and campground water for everything else, including coffee.
Been drinking unfiltered city water out of a faucet for 80 years. I’m still above ground, have all my teeth (including the “wisdom” ones), and no chronic illnesses. Why would I change at this point?
After traveling around the Southwest…I bought a portable water softener and it was a Godsend. I also use the green water filters that Walmart sells along with a Brita and Zero water filter I bought at the local VA hospital store. There is too much bad water full of chemicals nowadays and unless one is on top of a mountain expect the runoff of chemicals.
I drink city water but it is very purified. I have an outside water filter, tripple filter and water softener inside of my fifth wheel. Then an RO and UV filter each with an additional total of 5 more filters.
We drink water from campgrounds. I don’t understand the appeal of bottled water. Most people probably think of it as “safe”. It’s just water that you are trusting someone to treat properly, and then put it in a plastic container. Also, water sources aren’t tested for every constituent that can harm you.
Those who have succumbed due to camp water do not appear to be commenting.
I voted other, since it was not a simple single filter. At one time we were full-timing. I used a camco (or equiv.) pre-filter right at the faucet (10 micron), changed monthly. Then a whole house filter was inside the RV. I used a (I think) 1 micron filter here changed every two months. This provided water for everything other than drinking or cooking. Last we had a pitcher filter (brita or equiv.) for cooking/drinking. I never used the water tank in the RV, since we did not dry-camp.
We carry a 3 gallon water cooler with water from home. It will usually last us a long weekend. We carry bottled water, but try not to use it if we can help it. We have an external water filter for the ice maker. Gallon jugs of water are used for coffee and cooking.
We have a filter under the sink and run that water thru a Pur pitcher. Produces better water than any bottled water and does not produce plastic waste.
Never drink the water if the campground has the word “Sulfur” in it. Wife threw up brushing her teeth from the smell of the water!
Berkey water filter for all drinking, cooking, and washing dishes
I bring a tank of water from my home, which is treated and pretty good and sometimes mix it with well water from a friends near a mountain top. It has just enough chlorine to keep it safe. I’ll add CG water to my tank if it’s from a treated municipal system and smells/tastes OK. I never ran into an issue doing it that way.
If the water doesn’t have an odor and tastes okay, I’ll drink it although I’m not a big water drinker. I do have an in-line filter along with a water softener. However, we use bottled water for the Keurig and tea kettle.
Yes we drink the campground water, if there is no smell, odor or taste, but we still double filter it. 😉
DEPENDS,, I check it out. in warm weather I will not drink the water in Quartzite or anywhere in the desert. If water is smelly or has an off in any way, no. In urban areas probably yes. In camps I trust and stay frequently, all the time.
I have long had a picky tummy. Strange water can send me running for the potty all day long. So we carry bottles that we get free from Kroger with a monthly coupon. And just last summer we were able to cut back on carrying so many bottles by using a smaller 6-cup Brita. It works great. We love using it in the house, too, when we’re not traveling. Some of the water we’ve encountered is really foul!!!
We use a Berkey for all drinking and cooking water. Always tasty water,
We start every tank with a full tank of our well water. It just tastes so good. We do have an inline filter. Once “our” water runs out, we drink campground water if the taste is on. If not, it’s bottled water. Taste is really important to us.
We drank the water at every campground and park for 35-seasons and we’re still here. Why wouldn’t you drink the water? Pubic water systems are periodically tested. Those who are squeamish…do you drink the tap water at home?
Nope
I agree. Have always drank campground water for 55 years.
Boiling chlorinated water makes many more carcinogens. Boiling water doesn’t remove heat stable antigens of E. Coli or salmonella.
We only drink Distilled water on the road.
We bought a Berkey® countertop filter many times ago for the RV. I also have one for our stick-n-bricks as well. I haven’t drank tap water in decades and have a 40oz insulted water bottle that goes everywhere withcme.
I have 3 3-gallon plastic water containers that I fill up in Grocery stores that dispense water by the gallon…
In Wellton AZ, someone dispenses reverse osmosis water for $0.75 for 5 gallons. I have 4 2.5 gallon containers. The local water is salty and a bit muddy-tasting, so this is nicer. We use the local water hookup for cooking and cleaning, but the reverse osmosis water for drinking.
We use an Acuva water purifying system
Filtered into the RV and a Brita to filter again for drinking.
Such a waste of money for bottled water, and just awful for the enviornment!
Water vending machines to fill up 4 portable containers that total 10 gals.
no water bottles thrown into the world and consistently good water.
That’s the way I do it. — CW/publisher
Whatever byproducts form from chlorination of water, it is still much, much, much safer than contracting waterborne diseases like cholera or typhoid or dysentery. Filtering the water before it goes into your water tank removes the disinfectant and allows pathogen regrowth in your tank. Point of use filters for drinking water are a good solution if you are worried about it. Here is a good article: Solving a 40-year mystery, scientists ID chemical found in millions of Americans’ tap water | CNN
No, never, same for the dog child. At one campground, I looked at it, the dog smelled it, and yuck. I take bottled water for us both, but I recycle my bottles and use gallon jugs quite a bit. I take his water in a larger container. When I used to visit some in-laws, the water made me sick every time. I’m used to spring water and well water.
We carry a TDS meter to measure water quality. Some RV parks are quite clean but enough are not that we eventually just defaulted to bottled water. Although I still test it using my TDS meter against my wife’s taste buds.
Thank you, Gail! The water that we drink is filtered 2 or 3 times, depending on where in the RV we get it. We drink the city water and from our fresh water tank. Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂
If it’s potable, as confirmed with campground staff use it for cooking, brush teeth etc BUT for coffee//tea/beverages and ice, use filtered water.
All it took for me was getting very sick from the drinking water in an Idaho USFS campground. My vision was even affected for hours. Last year I noticed the drinking water is now closed, rather than fixed.
I’ll still stop there on Highway 12, I love the campground. I just bring my own well water on every trip.
We filter ours coming into the rig and again out of the faucet. Plus we always have two 5 gallon jugs we bring in case of emergencies that we keep filled.