Unsafe drinking water on planes
Swounger
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Unsafe drinking water on planes
Friday's Wall Street Journal had a long article on how the water from the tap on many US domestic (I think they tested one European airline) airlines had impermissibly high levels of bacteria and in one case, insect eggs!
Oops, I see another ppruner posted it here:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=71511
Oops, I see another ppruner posted it here:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=71511
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Although my outfit tests the water according to the current Ground Handling guidleines in the the AHM, we still have pictograms in the lavatories in the lavatories to state that the tap water should not be used for drinking/brushing etc. if only to avoid frivolous suits from SLF getting the runs etc.
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If you want to see someone screw their face up- try asking one of the ground engineers if they ever drink "aircraft" water. They get to see the insides of the tanks and pipework!
Plastic PPRuNer
Reasonably clean - sure. Potable - don't be silly.
That's what the water-cooler with the paper cups is there for.
Would any sensible person anywhere drink the tap-water in a train loo?
No? Then why should you expect anything different on an aircraft?
All the makings of another absurd SHOCK! HORROR! story.
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I tighten lose women...
That's what the water-cooler with the paper cups is there for.
Would any sensible person anywhere drink the tap-water in a train loo?
No? Then why should you expect anything different on an aircraft?
All the makings of another absurd SHOCK! HORROR! story.
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I tighten lose women...
Iconoclast
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Yellow water.
For a long time the US Dept. of Transportation had a restriction against taking on water (trains and planes) in Pascagoula, Mississippi. This water was so bad that the first time I went into the company loo to take a wiz I thought there had been several other guys ahead of me that had neglected to flush the john. I flushed the john and the color of the water did not change. Most restaurants and homes had filtration systems installed to bring the water to a consumable state.
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See my comments about food surfaces and possible flight crew illnesses on this thread
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=71511
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=71511
Cunning Artificer
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Aw come on Mac the Knife, where do yo think the water in the water cooler comes from? There's only one water source on an aeroplane and Lou Scannon is right, you wouldn't drink any of it if you could see inside the works...
BTW, the guy who drives the water cart and tops up the water is often the same man who drives the honeycart. Its generally good advice never to shake hands with a man who has green fingernails
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Through difficulties to the cinema
BTW, the guy who drives the water cart and tops up the water is often the same man who drives the honeycart. Its generally good advice never to shake hands with a man who has green fingernails
**************************
Through difficulties to the cinema
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Mac, there is no separate water supply to the coolers! It's exactly the same as goes into all the sinks. I don't know how the loos work - is any fresh water pumped in or is it just recirculating? Perhaps it' better not to talk about it!
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Lucifer
I think someones pulling your leg - BA has the same water tanks as everyone else.
All airlines regularly (or should) disinfect the aircraft water system, however there are doubts as to the effectiveness of this.
And Lou Scannon is quite correct - I never drink the water.
NSF on aircraft with vacuum lavs the flush water is the same as out of the taps - on aircraft with independant tanks the water is just recycled.
I think someones pulling your leg - BA has the same water tanks as everyone else.
All airlines regularly (or should) disinfect the aircraft water system, however there are doubts as to the effectiveness of this.
And Lou Scannon is quite correct - I never drink the water.
NSF on aircraft with vacuum lavs the flush water is the same as out of the taps - on aircraft with independant tanks the water is just recycled.
Guest
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For as long as I can remember if I ask for water on an aircraf it has come out of a bottle (Evian etc.).
Don't know where the water for the coffee comes from though - I would presume that it gets boiled and is therefore safe (even if it tastes disgusting). Don't think I'd risk money by betting on it though!
Don't know where the water for the coffee comes from though - I would presume that it gets boiled and is therefore safe (even if it tastes disgusting). Don't think I'd risk money by betting on it though!
Plastic PPRuNer
I stand corrected. Sort of assumed the drinking water would be separate. If not then normal regs should apply.
Example quote from "Potable Water Regulations for Common Carriers" (Canada in this instance).
"potable water" means water that is free of pathogenic bacteria and is of such a composition that, when five 10-millilitre portions thereof are examined according to the standard procedure outlined in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, published by the American Public Health Association, not more than one portion thereof shows the presence of organisms of the coliform group, that is to say, the most probable number is not greater than 2.2 per 100 millilitres; (eau potable)
"potable water system" means the equipment used on a conveyance for handling, treating, storing and distributing potable water; (système d'eau potable)
"raw water" means water that is not potable water; (eau brute)
Agree with PaperTiger that somewhat higher levels are not usually a problem for normal people, nevertheless once you start accepting less than internationally agreed norms for potable water you're on a slippery slope. Something that John Snow realised in 1854 when he quelled an outbreak of gastroenteritis by taking the handle off the (contaminated) Broad Street public pump (he later went on to pioneer anesthetics). Presume you wouldn't accept out of regs JP1.
Next time I'll bring my own.....
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I tighten lose women
Example quote from "Potable Water Regulations for Common Carriers" (Canada in this instance).
"potable water" means water that is free of pathogenic bacteria and is of such a composition that, when five 10-millilitre portions thereof are examined according to the standard procedure outlined in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, published by the American Public Health Association, not more than one portion thereof shows the presence of organisms of the coliform group, that is to say, the most probable number is not greater than 2.2 per 100 millilitres; (eau potable)
"potable water system" means the equipment used on a conveyance for handling, treating, storing and distributing potable water; (système d'eau potable)
"raw water" means water that is not potable water; (eau brute)
Agree with PaperTiger that somewhat higher levels are not usually a problem for normal people, nevertheless once you start accepting less than internationally agreed norms for potable water you're on a slippery slope. Something that John Snow realised in 1854 when he quelled an outbreak of gastroenteritis by taking the handle off the (contaminated) Broad Street public pump (he later went on to pioneer anesthetics). Presume you wouldn't accept out of regs JP1.
Next time I'll bring my own.....
---------------------------------------
I tighten lose women
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When I flew down the back we were always told to drink bottled water only but always gave the pax water out of the tank as we never had enough to go around. Same water goes through the boilers I believe (except ATR's and similar that have carry on urns rather than tanks).
Only heard of a problem once within the co's I worked for. One of the aircraft went to its manufacturer for maintenance but was due to go straight back on line on return. As a favour the manufacturer filled up the water tank and toilet fluid tank before it was returned. Unfortunately someone got them the wrong way round! It wasn't noticed until my colleagues started the tea and coffee service. Using the modern brewers the crew can't see the water as it goes into the pots. Heard on the grapevine the tank had to be flushed through four times. Crews said the aircraft smelt like a hospital for a couple of weeks afterwards. Atleast it covered up the smell of the toilets on a long flight I suppose!
Hygenic pax is a nice idea but including it as part of the service is maybe more than they bargained for!
Only heard of a problem once within the co's I worked for. One of the aircraft went to its manufacturer for maintenance but was due to go straight back on line on return. As a favour the manufacturer filled up the water tank and toilet fluid tank before it was returned. Unfortunately someone got them the wrong way round! It wasn't noticed until my colleagues started the tea and coffee service. Using the modern brewers the crew can't see the water as it goes into the pots. Heard on the grapevine the tank had to be flushed through four times. Crews said the aircraft smelt like a hospital for a couple of weeks afterwards. Atleast it covered up the smell of the toilets on a long flight I suppose!
Hygenic pax is a nice idea but including it as part of the service is maybe more than they bargained for!
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If their is only one source of water on aircraft why do some aircraft have a separate port for filling up what is marked as 'Potable Water"?
Or is that just to distinguish between what goes in the water tanks for the galley and wash basins and what goes into the toilet flushing system?
Or is that just to distinguish between what goes in the water tanks for the galley and wash basins and what goes into the toilet flushing system?
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This has got out of hand, it is on almost every airline site. Another SHOCK HORROR story, thought you lotr were against that ?
What........Captain accepts foul water from ??? Accepts it is 'normal'.
Rubbish...I know that BA do regular checks on all potable water, I would guess that most other majors do the same. Water is from the local tap and the same as served in the local hotel. Aircraft tanks are also checked.
I would not say potable is better than bottled but it should be the same as household water from a stored tank.
C
What........Captain accepts foul water from ??? Accepts it is 'normal'.
Rubbish...I know that BA do regular checks on all potable water, I would guess that most other majors do the same. Water is from the local tap and the same as served in the local hotel. Aircraft tanks are also checked.
I would not say potable is better than bottled but it should be the same as household water from a stored tank.
C
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Hi all,
please don't drink potable water in the aircraft! That's a first hint I can give! I know that in my company they put anti-disinfectant tablets in the potable-watercontainer. Causing the water to have a chloride-smell. The coffee/thee you're getting is usually heated up to approx. 90 degrees so it isn't boiling.
If you really don't need your coffee in the morning you shouldn't drink any but on the other hand: you have gotta die of something :-)
greetings!
luchtzak
http://www.luchtzak.be
please don't drink potable water in the aircraft! That's a first hint I can give! I know that in my company they put anti-disinfectant tablets in the potable-watercontainer. Causing the water to have a chloride-smell. The coffee/thee you're getting is usually heated up to approx. 90 degrees so it isn't boiling.
If you really don't need your coffee in the morning you shouldn't drink any but on the other hand: you have gotta die of something :-)
greetings!
luchtzak
http://www.luchtzak.be
stilljustanothernumber
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Tap water? Yes, but from taps all over the world. Then it sits in the tanks, often getting warm and horrible stuff grows in the tank. I don't like green slime in my tea!
Paxing All Over The World
With long haul, what temperature do they heat the potable storage tank to, to stop it freezing? Will that temp help to restrict growth of wriggling things? Short haul may have more of a problem?
I only drink bottled water on flights. I do not drink the tea because the lack of boiling makes poor tea. Fortunately, brandy is a disinfectant ...
I only drink bottled water on flights. I do not drink the tea because the lack of boiling makes poor tea. Fortunately, brandy is a disinfectant ...
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The Canadian regulations say the following:
"Every [airline] employer shall provide employees with potable water for drinking, personal washing and food preparation that, where reasonably practicable, meets the standards set out in the publication entitled Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, 1978, as amended in March 1990 and published under the authority of the Minister of National Health and Welfare."
See
http://www.tc.gc.ca/actsregs/clc-cct...NORP.IDYVFE.D3
Employers may comply with the regulation by telling flight crew to drink bottled water rather than water from the aircraft's tanks, but note that the regulation also dictates that potable water must be provided for hand-washing. Do the airlines that tell flight crew to drink bottled water also tell them to wash their hands in bottled water as well?
If airliner water is as contaminated as the Wall Street Journal article suggests it is, then what are the consequences of washing one's hands in this water? Sure the soap gets rid of bacteria, but then when you rinse the soap off your hands with that contaminated water and then accidentally lick your finger 2 minutes later, what are the risks?
"Every [airline] employer shall provide employees with potable water for drinking, personal washing and food preparation that, where reasonably practicable, meets the standards set out in the publication entitled Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, 1978, as amended in March 1990 and published under the authority of the Minister of National Health and Welfare."
See
http://www.tc.gc.ca/actsregs/clc-cct...NORP.IDYVFE.D3
Employers may comply with the regulation by telling flight crew to drink bottled water rather than water from the aircraft's tanks, but note that the regulation also dictates that potable water must be provided for hand-washing. Do the airlines that tell flight crew to drink bottled water also tell them to wash their hands in bottled water as well?
If airliner water is as contaminated as the Wall Street Journal article suggests it is, then what are the consequences of washing one's hands in this water? Sure the soap gets rid of bacteria, but then when you rinse the soap off your hands with that contaminated water and then accidentally lick your finger 2 minutes later, what are the risks?