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I have an odor problem
with a small freshwater tank onboard my boat. I have tried flushing it
out many times, but it still smells. What can I do to alleviate this problem?
J.B., via e-mail
You no doubt
have algae, slime, or bacteria flourishing in your tank and lines. The
easiest and quickest way to deal with this is to treat your freshwater
system with a dose of bleach, which will kill whatever is thriving in
your system. Simply pour a few cups into your water tanks and let it soak
overnight. Check to see what impact bleach might have on any installed
filters and make sure you flush the system thoroughly before using it.
But before dumping bleach-contaminated
water into the surrounding waterway, check with your marina manager to
find out the local requirements for proper disposal or contact the EPA’s
Oceans and Coastal Protection Office for more information: (202) 566-1200
or visit www.ow-owow-internet-comments@epa.gov.
The EPA representative I spoke with said that ideally you should dispose
of the water onshore. Even though the small amount of bleach that would
be diluted in the tank shouldn’t hurt the ecosystem, it’s better
to put the mixture down a household drain, as that water ends up going
to a water-treatment plant first.
To kill the odor-causing
problem, fill the tank and add two-thirds of a cup of bleach for every
ten gallons of water. Let that sit for a few minutes and then pump the
tank dry, putting the diluted solution into another container you can
carry onto land and pour into a household drain. Fill again as before,
but let the tank sit full for about four hours before once again pumping
it dry. One more four-hour sit and pump-out should do it. If not, let
the tank sit full with the added bleach for 24 hours. After flushing it,
keep filling and flushing the tank with fresh water until the bleach smell
is gone.
Once you’ve gotten
this under control, make treating your tank with a teaspoon of bleach
for every ten gallons of water part of a monthly preventive-maintenance
regimen. If your water tank is so small that this proportion leaves a
smell to the water, cut the amount in half.
I also suggest installing
an in-line water filter. Those made by Braun, Brita, and PUR will do and
are easy to install. They can filter out any chlorine present as well
as other substances that may add an unwanted taste. If you want to take
this one step further, you can add a water-purifying tablet as directed
to the tank. You can get these at most camping stores or large marine
outlets such as U.S. Marine or Boat U.S. Also, when filling your water
tank, make sure you are using a drink-water-safe hose and that all your
connecting hoses are of the same quality.
If none of this works,
remove the tank and have it cleaned and sanitized shoreside. And, depending
on your needs, you may want to look into installing a watermaker aboard.
HRO Systems has a unit that can fit boats as small as 25 feet in length.
Phone: (800) 366-4476 or visit www.hrosystems.com.
Need help with a
maintenance problem? Write to Maintenance Q & A, Power & Motoryacht,
260 Madison Ave., 8th Fl., New York, NY 10016. Fax: (917) 256-2282. e-mail:
ken_kreisler@primediamags.com.
No phone calls, please.
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