Food Grade Water Pipe Suggestions

[Sub Divo]

Hello Everyone!

 

Without going down the rabbit hole (of food grade vs non-food grade) does anyone have any suggestions for food grade water pipes please?

 

I've seen these on a reel (which is a preference)...

 

https://camperhappy.co.uk/product/aquafil-pro-food-grade-water-tank-filling-hosepipe/

https://camperhappy.co.uk/product/roll-on-2-0-roll-up-water-hose-for-motorhomes/

 

But I'm looking for at-least 22 metres in length.

 

I could daisy chain them I guess, but it's likely going to be cheaper to buy loose (and store it in a container)

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

[David Mack]

Google 'food grade hose'. Plenty of options. Buying a 30m coil is cheaper than buying by the metre.

[IanD]

Is "food grade hose" really needed for a water hose for filling up a boat tank?

 

Doesn't everyone run water through the hose for a minute or so before putting it into the tank filler, to remove any possibly-warm-and-stagnant water from the hose and water feed pipe?

 

If you do that, surely there's no need to worry about the "grade" of the hose, since any contaminants will have been flushed out?

 

I use a standard Hozelock 25m reel and don't worry about it... 😉 

Edited July 16 by IanD

[Sub Divo]

A valid question, but I'd rather not go down that rabbit hole of a conversation thanks 😁 There are plenty of online discussions that do that already.

 

I am genuinely just trying to find options for food grade water pipes.

[LadyG]

Agree, it's a hose you want not pipes.

Edited July 16 by LadyG

[matty40s]

56 minutes ago, IanD said:

Is "food grade hose" really needed for a water hose for filling up a boat tank?

 

Doesn't everyone run water through the hose for a minute or so before putting it into the tank filler, to remove any possibly-warm-and-stagnant water from the hose and water feed pipe?

Due to the current hosepipe ban we are now filling the water tank using several cups over an hour or two each evening. To make sure the water is fresh, we leave the tap running whilst we run back and forth from tap to tank hole.

Ronnie and Mel, NB No Idea.

 

[Peanut]

Blue potable water hose is readily available online. I found the roll flat hoses, while convenient for stowage, to herniate internally within a year, and wouldn't recommend it.

Having said that, most boats here seem not to care and use whatever type hose is available. Mine is a length of potable hose, with standard Hozelock fittings, though brass fittings are available.

[Jon57]

7 hours ago, Peanut said:

Blue potable water hose is readily available online. I found the roll flat hoses, while convenient for stowage, to herniate internally within a year, and wouldn't recommend it.

Having said that, most boats here seem not to care and use whatever type hose is available. Mine is a length of potable hose, with standard Hozelock fittings, though brass fittings are available.

You should try the make Yo Yo expanding rubber food grade hose. They come in vairing lengths. Had mine for over 8yrs. Not had any issues with it. You can get different lenghts. I've acquired two. 1 x 100ft and 1x 30ft. I never have a problem of getting near enough to the water point. Plus is they take up a fraction of the space of a conventional hose. Granted good pressure is a bonus. But in 8yr never had a filling issue with them. Google them. https://www.amazon.co.uk/FITT-Extendable-Flexible-Garden-Multi-Function/dp/B08YFFSHCK/ref=asc_df_B08YFFSHCK?mcid=da84b49ec8e13d818cf093fdb2bdbbe8&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696851138763&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=599443294441743958&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046325&hvtargid=pla-1331226941226&psc=1&hvocijid=599443294441743958-B08YFFSHCK-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Edited July 17 by Jon57
Addition

[GUMPY]

I always used Speedfit plastic pipe as it's the same as used in houses. I kept a few different lengths depending on the distance to the filler tap. Easily the most hygienic way of getting the water into the boat water tank.

 

[MikeHing]

Aquavend is a WRAS approved hose for potable water. Expensive but excellent. I have two hoses, one ½" on hose reel & shorter 10m ¾" length. 

[Jon57]

34 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

I always used Speedfit plastic pipe as it's the same as used in houses. I kept a few different lengths depending on the distance to the filler tap. Easily the most hygienic way of getting the water into the boat water tank.

 

Ok if you have plenty of storage. Bit of a problem getting into the gas locker on a narrowboat. May be Shaun could give some thought to this on his hdpe boats 😁 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

9 hours ago, Peanut said:

Blue potable water hose is readily available online. I found the roll flat hoses, while convenient for stowage, to herniate internally within a year, and wouldn't recommend it.

Having said that, most boats here seem not to care and use whatever type hose is available. Mine is a length of potable hose, with standard Hozelock fittings, though brass fittings are available.

I've used the roll flat hoses a lot. The more expensive ones I'll get more than five years out of, if I am careful not to pinch the hose when rolling it up. The cheap ones, on ebay and the like, delaminate and pinhole leak in multiple places inside a year. I tried a cheap one and once again, it turns out you get what you pay for. 

[MtB]

21 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

The cheap ones, on ebay and the like, delaminate and pinhole leak in multiple places inside a year. I tried a cheap one and once again, it turns out you get what you pay for. 

 

 

And advice on here is FREE!!!!!

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

To add to my poor review of cheapy ebay roll flat hoses. In only six months of use, they stiffen up and lose their ability to roll flat too, even before they start leaking in multiple places. This was with a hose stored inside between use and only used around once a week. 

[phantom_iv]

4 minutes ago, MtB said:

And advice on here is FREE!!!!!

Sometimes I need a few pints in the pub to come up with really good advice, I think it just has hidden costs!

[MtB]

Just now, phantom_iv said:

Sometimes I need a few pints in the pub to come up with really good advice, I think it just has hidden costs!

 

Just now, phantom_iv said:

Sometimes I need a few pints in the pub to come up with really good advice, I think it just has hidden costs!

 

Indeed. And for the OP, Speedfit, copper, spun steel, galvanised iron, stainless steel and HEP20 are all food grade water pipe as he requests. 

 

And I haven't even BEEN to the pub today. Yet.

 

 

 

 

[jonathanA]

21 hours ago, Sub Divo said:

A valid question, but I'd rather not go down that rabbit hole of a conversation thanks 😁 There are plenty of online discussions that do that already.

 

I am genuinely just trying to find options for food grade water pipes.

Plenty of options on fleabay just look for clear hose or clear reinforced hose many are food grade.(or purport to be...)

 

'Fraid i'm in the use a good quality hosepipe and flush it camp seems to have been fine for the last 20 years....

[MtB]

1 hour ago, jonathanA said:

'Fraid i'm in the use a good quality hosepipe and flush it camp seems to have been fine for the last 20 years....

 

 

Hold on, maybe this is why we seem to be getting so many nutters on here these days. They are all using non-food grade hosepipes!! 

 

 

[blackrose]

On 17/07/2026 at 18:38, jonathanA said:

 

'Fraid i'm in the use a good quality hosepipe and flush it camp seems to have been fine for the last 20 years....

 

Yes most people just use a garden hose, however even good quality garden hoses are often made from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled PVC so there's not a lot of control on contaminants. You can flush them out, but as PVC ages it becomes friable and plasticisers, etc, leach out and that may also happen after the hose is flushed and being used to a lesser degree. 

 

A decent food grade hose isn't that much more expensive than a garden hose and they will also last for decades so that's why I use one. The flat ones are often food grade too, but they don't last very long.

 

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter, you take your pick...

Edited July 19 by blackrose

[Peanut]

13 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter, you take your pick...

 

And drink in the microplastics,

[Tony Brooks]

7 hours ago, Peanut said:

 

And drink in the microplastics,

 

Probably from the public water supply as well as the hose, or from the plastic plumbing pipes and tanks one tends to have a home these days.

[Bee]

I had one of those stretchy crinkly things. Someone stole it. Instant karma.

[waterworks]

Every CRT bin contains a busted expanding hose,  they obviously don't last long ,I'm guessing most boaters want every bit of pressure from the tap to fill a tank as quickly as possible and those hoses can only take watering the pansies in the garden . 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 hours ago, waterworks said:

Every CRT bin contains a busted expanding hose,  they obviously don't last long ,I'm guessing most boaters want every bit of pressure from the tap to fill a tank as quickly as possible and those hoses can only take watering the pansies in the garden . 

I would say hoses used by boaters run at a lower internal pressure than those by gardeners. Boat hoses are open ended at the tank end, so won't have the restriction of a spray nozzle on a garden hose. The difference is in usage. Boat hoses are used every few days, to a week on a lived on boat. Garden hoses, only in warm weather. Garden hoses are dragged over manicured lawns to reach the flower beds. Boat hoses are dragged over rough, often muddy towpaths, then repeatedly trodden on by towpath users and run over by bikes. It's a nasty, brutish and short life!

[Llamedos]

After discovering the other day that we'd unknowingly been drinking diluted canal water for the last couple of years, I certainly won't be worrying too much about the type of filler hose I use. There are plenty of bigger risks in boating to worry about and many are hiding in plain sight.