BajaNomad

Camper Water

biglar - 12-20-2008 at 01:19 PM

Generally when I go to Guerrero Negro for whale watching in February, I make it a fast trip, so's to get back to work. On those trips, I've carried my food and water in the camper.

Now that I've retired, I'm planning a more extended stay in 2 months or so, and my camper only carries 20 gallons of fresh water. I do carry bottled water for drinking, but after a mild bout of "the revenge" in '02, I've been very spooky about using water from local sources in Baja.

How do you go about treating water that's going into your storage tanks, in order to be safe ?? If there are "safe" sources of water, how do you identify them ??

Sorry if I seem overly paranoid, but that "mild" case in '02 was from using the ice in a popular G.N. restaurant after the waiter assured me that all water in G.N. was treated and very safe. Maybe that's why it was only a mild case. A neighbor got a nasty case from a luxury hotel in Puerto Vallarta a year later and had to be hospitalized. I'd prefer to avoid that. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Lar.

Pompano - 12-20-2008 at 01:36 PM

I am sure GN has a RO water store...reverse osmosis. Water bought there will be as good as you can get in Baja. I can't help you on the location, but someone will soon chime with that.....that's why this is the best Baja site!

I would flush out my tank with bleach in the US, rinse thoroughly, then refill with good water from your known source.

p.s. almost all tiendas these days sell the gallons of purified water in plastic jugs. Just ask.



[Edited on 12-20-2008 by Pompano]

Russ - 12-20-2008 at 01:39 PM

Many of the purification places will fill up camper tanks too. Take a hose and you'll be able to fill up almost everywhere. Syphon hose for the 5gal bottles.

BajaNuts - 12-20-2008 at 02:04 PM

From a Clorox document-
Ratio of Clorox Bleach to Water for Purification

2 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per quart of water
8 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per gallon of water
1/2 teaspoon Regular Clorox Bleach per five gallons of water
If water is cloudy, double the recommended dosages of Clorox Bleach.

Only use Regular Clorox Bleach (not Fresh Scent or Lemon Fresh). To insure that Clorox Bleach is at its full strength, rotate or replace your storage bottle minimally every three months.


Heat will also destroy the bleach's strength so keep your bleach bottle in a cool location. might be kinda hard in a closed up RV but do the best you can. Another interesting bleach fact that most don't know...soap also destroys the purifying capability of bleach. So when you mix up a bucket of hot soapy water for cleaning and splash some bleach in the bucket, the bleach isn't doing anything. You should wash and rinse whatever is being cleaned and then go back over it with a bleach rag with 1 tsp bleach per gallon of COOL or cold water (not HOT water).

I've also heard that some regular garden hoses leach bad things into the water as it passes through it, so for campers only use a hose meant for potable water.

You probably already know boiling is the best way to kill all the nasties.

Have Fun.....I;m jealous.....:spingrin:

[Edited on 12-20-2008 by BajaNuts]

shari - 12-20-2008 at 02:18 PM

you can pull your camper up to the Freska-Pur purified water outlet on the main drag in GN...around the middle of the strip on the left side going into town...they have a hose and will just fill your tank for ya...easy.

vandenberg - 12-20-2008 at 02:23 PM

Some folks systems are very sensitive to changes in any domestic water supplies.
Years ago US physicians used to prescribe Doxycicline, taken a few days before and during a trip. Since it is an antibiotic, they decided unnecessary use of this drug may make you immune to other antibiotics, so they wouldn't prescribe them any longer. They are readily available at any Mexican pharmacy and will prevent you from getting "The Revenge", just in case you have one of those "overly sensitive systems".
Always good to have them on hand, just in case.:biggrin:

biglar - 12-20-2008 at 02:44 PM

Thanks for the fast replies. I'll look for them when I'm there. I'm one of those with a tender tummy, and will also take the advice about the Doxycycline.

While on the general subject, I'm also spooky about eating at some of the little stands. How do you choose which might be good ?? Some I've stopped at really stunk, and it was a no-brainer to walk away. Others ?? How do ya know ?? Thanks again.

Lar.

mtgoat666 - 12-20-2008 at 02:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Some folks systems are very sensitive to changes in any domestic water supplies.
Years ago US physicians used to prescribe Doxycicline, taken a few days before and during a trip. Since it is an antibiotic, they decided unnecessary use of this drug may make you immune to other antibiotics, so they wouldn't prescribe them any longer. They are readily available at any Mexican pharmacy and will prevent you from getting "The Revenge", just in case you have one of those "overly sensitive systems".
Always good to have them on hand, just in case.:biggrin:


this is really bad advice. unnecessary use of antibiotics as a prophylactic to avoid tummy upset is just plain stupid.

Barry A. - 12-20-2008 at 03:18 PM

I have a stainless steel stomach, and have never gotten sick in Baja in over 50 years, and I have eaten from some pretty questionable "carts". But, some folks with me HAVE gotten sick, and I don't recommend it--------it is a whole lot worse than "tummy upset", and can be dangerous.

My wife and I always carry what we call our "stomach remedy" stuff, put together by our pharmacist. Lord knows what is in it (my wife knows), but it works, at least my wife swears it does, as well as friends. I believe that the (dreaded?) drug, doxycycline is present in this "mixture"----that rings a bell.

I would agree that indiscriminate use of "drugs" to simply avoid the possibility of "bad food" is NOT a good idea, but use when you think you are going to die IS appropriate.

Now water is another subject: I always carry/bring with me about 23 gals. of culinary water in my camper on long trips (less if short trips), using it strictly for drinking (a 13 gal tank, plus 2-6 gallon jerry containers). In addition, I carry a Katadyn water filter, only using it if I have to replenish my drinking water supply (which is seldom, to never). For showers, I use any water source and a "sun shower", which works great (keep your mouth closed).

If you get into a bind, BajaNuts suggestion of Chlorox Bleach is a fine solution, it seems to me, tho I have never done that in Baja. I know that we did use bleach when running rivers on long multi-day trips, and tho the water is slightly stinky, it works and folks did not get sick.

Barry

vandenberg - 12-20-2008 at 04:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666[/

this is really bad advice. unnecessary use of antibiotics as a prophylactic to avoid tummy upset is just plain stupid.


Cabron,
Thanks for reminding me of my shortcomings.
But how else would you be able to shine.:?::biggrin:

Crusoe - 12-20-2008 at 05:38 PM

Biglar, This is a soulution I came up with for us that I have never regretted. Each time after finding the perfect remote beach and spending 10 days or so there we always ran out of water. So.....I bought a bigger vehicle. 1 ton crew cab dually pickup. Removed the back seat, and in that space built a custom wood storage box with a hinged top that could handle 60 gals of water in 5 gal containers. I can lift one out at a time and replenish the 30 gal water tank in the camper. For 90 gals. total. Its always easy to find a Freska Pur R/O fill up spot in any city and they will always have a hose you can use so you do not have to hump it up yourself.We use a sun shower for bathing and dish washing and various other well sources and methods as the situation presents itself. The bleach method works well to. Enjoy!! ++C++:yes::yes:

shari - 12-20-2008 at 07:39 PM

the best places to eat always have the most people at them...avoid solo stands...look for lots of fat guys gorfin down tacos and go there...also check out the fixins bowls to see they have lids and are clean..it's usually the mayo or cheese that sends ya to the crapper.

Skipjack Joe - 12-20-2008 at 07:51 PM

If you do get a light case of the runs I would use Immodium A-D. It prevents water loss, dehydration, and resulting sense of weakness while your system works itself out (the few days it takes for the e.coli to go through their life cycle).

DianaT - 12-20-2008 at 08:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by biglar
Thanks for the fast replies. I'll look for them when I'm there. I'm one of those with a tender tummy, and will also take the advice about the Doxycycline.

While on the general subject, I'm also spooky about eating at some of the little stands. How do you choose which might be good ?? Some I've stopped at really stunk, and it was a no-brainer to walk away. Others ?? How do ya know ?? Thanks again.

Lar.


If lots and lots of locals are eating there---that is the one to pick.

Even with small restaurants, we look for the ones where the locals are eating.

No absolute guarentee, but we have also gotten sick in the US at a Jack in the Box and two different Sizzlers, and a cousins wedding.

We are never without Pepto, here or there.

In our trailer/camper we always put a little bleach in the water tank and used only bottled water for drinking and cooking----both in the US and in Baja and the mainland of Mexico.

Diane

[Edited on 12-21-2008 by jdtrotter]

biglar - 12-20-2008 at 09:39 PM

Thanks again. The food, I'll hafta work out. Back in the day, many, many moons ago, buddies and I would beer up and eat where ever we chose in TJ and never had a problem. Sadly, I'm older and not so tolerant now and hafta be more careful.

The water......I've been doing pretty much what y'all are saying while traveling in the US and Canada and my annual trips to G.N. 20 gal of water lasts me about a week or a little more, for showers, dishes, etc. Bottled water and Diet Pepsi take care of drinking. No Margaritas or Cervezas for Lar anymore.....I drank way more than my share for a lotta years and stick to the soda pop now.

The friends who were going to join me this year have backed out, so I'll be traveling solo, and can improvise as I go. I don't like to impose on anyone for more than a day or 2, and would like to talk to experienced folks about San Ignacio, Malarrimo Beach and more. Might start another thread on that.

Lar.