When we first purchased Belle-Vie in 2002, after she had been sitting for awhile, we used Peggie Halls recommissioning procedure that follows below. Ever since then the water from our tanks has always been fresh tasting and odor free. We alternate our tanks in order to keep the water somewhat fresh. Keeping our boat in a cooler climate helps, too.

I use a PUR brand sink spout water filter for all drinking water. I keep a few water bottles full of this filtered water in the fridge at all times for coffee and cooking. Everything else we use straight from the tanks.

Peggie Halls Procedure that she published some years ago:

1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/2 cup (4 oz) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity.

2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines

3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you havent done this in a while, its a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because whats likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat. 

5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion.

6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filling the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.