How Safe is the Potable water system in your aircraft
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How Safe is the Potable water system in your aircraft
Recently flew with a fellow crew member who admitted not consuming any potable water based drinks due to his concerns about the safety of the water tanks and the maintenance that goes with it.
this in turn got me realy thinking.. after referring to the ops manual, all that is mentioned is that tanks need to be free from bacterial agents...
How safe is the water we consume everyday at work ? what kind of precautions shall we be taking to protect ourselves...
All constructive imputs are much appreciated.
this in turn got me realy thinking.. after referring to the ops manual, all that is mentioned is that tanks need to be free from bacterial agents...
How safe is the water we consume everyday at work ? what kind of precautions shall we be taking to protect ourselves...
All constructive imputs are much appreciated.
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sterilising the potable water system(+ galley filter changes) is called up in routine maintenace, saying that would still not drink from the system mostly due to the horrid taste.Do remember when You drink the coffee that water is from the system.
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I have seen the inside of some of the potable water tanks. I would never drink the water from the on-board potable water system, unless heated through the coffee maker. However, my company's coffee makers are not connected to the potable water system. We pour bottled water into the top of the coffee maker to make coffee. We keep cases of bottled water on board for crew use.
Last edited by Tex; 23rd May 2006 at 10:37.
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Due to the lack of water quality at some airfields (and I mean European), we have guidance on where to, and where NOT to uplift potable water. We avoid uplifting water overseas at all and if we have to we inform the engineers who carry out maintenance when we return.
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http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8187
If only we could see in those tanks! Fronds of weed sloshing backwards and forwards as the tank moves.....empty cigarette packs floating with beer cans on the surface, slime growing on the inside surfaces of the tank.......(bit imaginative). But you still don't want to drink directly from it. If only the beverage containers could be filled with bottled water! Always worth taking a small bottle of Volvic of your own just in case.
If only we could see in those tanks! Fronds of weed sloshing backwards and forwards as the tank moves.....empty cigarette packs floating with beer cans on the surface, slime growing on the inside surfaces of the tank.......(bit imaginative). But you still don't want to drink directly from it. If only the beverage containers could be filled with bottled water! Always worth taking a small bottle of Volvic of your own just in case.
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As an airport baggage handler I often refilled 733s with a hose connection which was out in all weathers with no protection. Myself and others would handle all manner of bags, then sometimes go from cleaning seat pockets with chewing gum and full vomit bags to the next plane where we handled the drinking water nozzle with uncleaned hands.
The potable water is slightly safer when used for coffe as it has at least been boiled, but frequently when I worked as an airport caterer, we got complaints of metallic tasting water. My guess is all sorts of stuff gets into systems.
The potable water is slightly safer when used for coffe as it has at least been boiled, but frequently when I worked as an airport caterer, we got complaints of metallic tasting water. My guess is all sorts of stuff gets into systems.
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A hundred years ago, in a different life, I used to service the potable water tanks. After three years???? in an aircraft, with periodic anti-bacterial flushes with a chlorine based powder, there was still a slime in the tank.
I know water is supposed to be safe to drink after boiling, but I would like to point out, especially to an earlier contributor, the coffee makers do NOT boil water, they only go to about 80 degrees. So don't think you are safe. Best take a bottle or have a coffee maker not connected to the water system - trouble is they make rotten tea - no boiled water.
I think it is time to go round the back for another brandy.
I know water is supposed to be safe to drink after boiling, but I would like to point out, especially to an earlier contributor, the coffee makers do NOT boil water, they only go to about 80 degrees. So don't think you are safe. Best take a bottle or have a coffee maker not connected to the water system - trouble is they make rotten tea - no boiled water.
I think it is time to go round the back for another brandy.
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Bear in mind that even if you do boil the water,with a cabin altitude of around 8000 ft the water will boil at about 92 degrees C,so you may not get the expected sterilizing effect.
This also explains why you can't make a decent cup of tea on an a/c
This also explains why you can't make a decent cup of tea on an a/c
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None of this is supposed to happen, but of course it does. One or two people supposed to do toilet, water and clean a/c toilet, galley, seats. floor etc.... Welcome to LOW COST!!
You need to get out of your cockpit more. I am talking about Air New Zealand which at least where I was a baggage handler did not use water carts. The uncovered hose reels are connected to airbridges owned by this airline which is not a low cost carrier by any stretch of the imagination if you'd ever bought a ticket from them.
a/c are NOT clean..... Any cleaning done is a tart up job in a hurry......
Low Cost Carriers don't even bother with cleaners. Cabin crew clean the seats and F/Os help with baggage. Heck they probably won't have time to drink the water...
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Once I watched the "toilet man" servicing the toilets during turnaround (with no gloves on!)
He then changed trucks at aircraft side and got into the potable water vehicle.
He then came over and topped up the potable water, again with no gloves on.
After finishing, he went back to his cab and ate his sandwiches
I dont want to think about the contamination transferred from one hose to the other .......
I did tell the Captain, and he said he wouldn't have a coffee on his way home
He then changed trucks at aircraft side and got into the potable water vehicle.
He then came over and topped up the potable water, again with no gloves on.
After finishing, he went back to his cab and ate his sandwiches
I dont want to think about the contamination transferred from one hose to the other .......
I did tell the Captain, and he said he wouldn't have a coffee on his way home
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I see it as a practical validation that the immune system is working!
OK, so you will not drink the coffee, etc if it comes from the onboard tanks, no doubt filled with the best that Khartoum had available at the time, but
the same crew who avoids the coffee all flight is quite happy to change and pop out for a quick curry downroute in Bangladesh!
lets face it, we have NO idea what is in about 90% of what we eat, drink, but for the most part we survive it with little or no ill effects.
and worrying about the relative boiling ratio vs cabin altitude! thats one way to while away the cruise.
perhaps best just to rip the packet of nescafe gold open and eat it! problem solved.
add powdered milk and granulated sugar to taste.
OK, so you will not drink the coffee, etc if it comes from the onboard tanks, no doubt filled with the best that Khartoum had available at the time, but
the same crew who avoids the coffee all flight is quite happy to change and pop out for a quick curry downroute in Bangladesh!
lets face it, we have NO idea what is in about 90% of what we eat, drink, but for the most part we survive it with little or no ill effects.
and worrying about the relative boiling ratio vs cabin altitude! thats one way to while away the cruise.
perhaps best just to rip the packet of nescafe gold open and eat it! problem solved.
add powdered milk and granulated sugar to taste.
Plastic PPRuNer
Originally Posted by canadair
lets face it, we have NO idea what is in about 90% of what we eat, drink, but for the most part we survive it with little or no ill effects.
So that water tanks on AC aren't sterile. Big deal.
I wouldn't drink out of the tap in the loo on an aircraft for the same reasons I wouldn't do it on a train. Nominally potable, it isn't really meant to be consumed. Does anyone actually drink it? And there's no evidence that washing your hands in marginal water makes you sick. It would have to be really heavily contaminated by pathogens to do that (and you'd have to lick your hands)!
This canard surfaces every couple of years.....
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They do indeed get regularly flushed through (the aircraft potable water system) with a cleaner and the filters changed. However does this mean the tanks are clean? Or just sterilised? If you ever get the chance, do have a look inside an aircraft's water tank.
It's often been said to me, all those holiday makers, they get to their destination and after a day or two they get the runs, thinking it's the food....most likely the water they drunk on the flight!
It's often been said to me, all those holiday makers, they get to their destination and after a day or two they get the runs, thinking it's the food....most likely the water they drunk on the flight!
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You guys should worry more about what might be living in your fuel tanks.
Having been slagged off as an unwelcome grease monkey elsewhere in these hallowed forums I hesitate to interfe, but maintenance do carry out routine hyperchlorination and yes, surprise, surprise - it does leave a taste in the water. The water is uplifted into the water bowser from a certified source that is regularly checked by the local authority. The hose system is a sealed coupling - what's outside has no bearing on what's inside the hoses. A certain amount of slime and those "waving fronds" sloshing about are an indication of a healthy water environment - ask my goldfish, they should know and three of them are ten years old.
The water in your aeroplane is as clean as the water in the office. Take a wander up to the roof one day and have shufti inside the water tank there...
Having been slagged off as an unwelcome grease monkey elsewhere in these hallowed forums I hesitate to interfe, but maintenance do carry out routine hyperchlorination and yes, surprise, surprise - it does leave a taste in the water. The water is uplifted into the water bowser from a certified source that is regularly checked by the local authority. The hose system is a sealed coupling - what's outside has no bearing on what's inside the hoses. A certain amount of slime and those "waving fronds" sloshing about are an indication of a healthy water environment - ask my goldfish, they should know and three of them are ten years old.
The water in your aeroplane is as clean as the water in the office. Take a wander up to the roof one day and have shufti inside the water tank there...