Plastic taste in water tank

**Ouarzazate** · 2007/04/15, 06:19 PM

I have a semi-permanently mounted 60l grey plastic water tank on the back of my bakkie slide. It's supposed to be OK for water storage, but still new, so is giving off a bad plastic taste whenever water is left in there for more than a few hours, especially in hot weather. Any ideas on how I could get rid of this plastic taste?

**SimonB** · 2007/04/15, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Ouarzazate

I have a semi-permanently mounted 60l grey plastic water tank on the back of my bakkie slide. It's supposed to be OK for water storage, but still new, so is giving off a bad plastic taste whenever water is left in there for more than a few hours, especially in hot weather. Any ideas on how I could get rid of this plastic taste?

QZ... what I have found works quite well, is fill the tank up, and leave it to soak for about a week with about a tablespoon of Vanilla essence. You may need to do this three or four times.

**Ouarzazate** · 2007/04/15, 07:10 PM

Thanks for the quick reply, Simon. There are too many long weekends coming up to be stuck with such a problem now...

**BigRed** · 2007/04/15, 07:27 PM

What about adding a Milton tablet? Thats supposed to sanitize and sterilize?

**Spike** · 2007/04/15, 07:41 PM

Lemon juice maybe?

**Bongani** · 2007/04/15, 08:00 PM

Milton can ruin the tank, be carefull...

500gr of "koeksoda" aka BiCarbonate of Soda mixed with 3/4 tank of water. Drive it around for one week.

Make sure thast you do not fill the tank up with a gargen hose pipe. That is the biggest problem when it comes to a plastic taste in the water. Use the addidas jerry can with the spout. It gives off zero taste.

If a tank got badly poluted with plastic taste due to fillign with a gargen hose pipe it might never recover....

Also have a look at what outlet you are using. Poor plastic pipe, even if just a few cm long will also contaminate the water and give a plastic taste.

So identify first the source of the plastic taste.

For an outlet make use of potable pipe (Foodgrade pipe) that is avialable from Flex-o-tube or make use of the flexible rubber hose with the metal mesh on the outside that gets used in to connect kitchen and bathroom sinks to the water supply. It is also food grade and is available at brights in up to 1 meter lengths.

Good luck, you might just need it.

**SimonB** · 2007/04/15, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ouarzazate

Thanks for the quick reply, Simon. There are too many long weekends coming up to be stuck with such a problem now...

I realise that, but then what I would do is increase the strength off the vanilla essence. The problems with Milton, lemon juice etc. is they are acidic and tend to attack the surface of new plastic and might make matters worse.

**halfjob** · 2007/04/15, 08:10 PM

a good dose of the finest whiskey maybe

**BigRed** · 2007/04/15, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bongani

Milton can ruin the tank, be carefull...

Point taken..

Originally Posted by Bongani

For an outlet make use of potable pipe (Foodgrade pipe) that is avialable from Flex-o-tube or make use of the flexible rubber hose with the metal mesh on the outside that gets used in to connect kitchen and bathroom sinks to the water supply. It is also food grade and is available at brights in up to 1 meter lengths.

I bought mine from Makro which came with a water pipe. Is this not the right grade

**Brollox** · 2007/04/15, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ouarzazate

I have a semi-permanently mounted 60l grey plastic water tank on the back of my bakkie slide. It's supposed to be OK for water storage, but still new, so is giving off a bad plastic taste whenever water is left in there for more than a few hours, especially in hot weather. Any ideas on how I could get rid of this plastic taste?

Solved problem by adding two tablespoons of jik to 25 liters tapwater, kept it overnight and drained all water next morning. Filled up again with clean water. Effective and cheap.

If possible fill container straight from tap without hose.

Brollox

**BigRed** · 2007/04/15, 08:19 PM

Jik is near the same as Miltons..... and now

**Ouarzazate** · 2007/04/15, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Bongani

Milton can ruin the tank, be careful...

Make sure that you do not fill the tank up with a garden hose pipe. That is the biggest problem when it comes to a plastic taste in the water. Use the adidas jerry can with the spout. It gives off zero taste.
If a tank got badly polluted with plastic taste due to filling with a garden hose pipe it might never recover....

Thanks Bongani for these tips. I guess it's particularly applicable when the garden hose has been lying in the warm sun...

**SimonB** · 2007/04/15, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by BigRed

Jik is near the same as Miltons..... and now

Jik = Bleach = Milton = Hydrochloric acid.... get my drift...

**Bongani** · 2007/04/15, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by BigRed

Point taken..

I bought mine from Makro which came with a water pipe. Is this not the right grade

Nope, take it off and run some normal house water through at slow speed (like the tank) and taste the plastic. Those pipes sold at Makro are FTD.

**Bongani** · 2007/04/15, 09:12 PM

Yes, an old hose that has been lying in the sun is horrific. Ever tried drinking water straight from a hot hose? You will burp for a few hours after that. A lekka Plastic burb.