The Risks of Cleaning Your Water Tank with Janola or Household Bleach

Here at Safe H2O, we are often asked if cleaning a water tank is as simple as using Janola or some other household bleach to dose the tank. 

Maybe you’ve heard from homeowners who do this, and you are wondering if it could work for you? 

If you get your water from a rainwater tank or surface water, it is important to keep the tank clean and the water sanitised to keep things like E.coli at bay. 

After cleaning thousands of water tanks in New Zealand we consider ourselves to be experts in this area and the short answer is ‘no’ – you should not use Janola to clean your tank. 

Here’s an easy-to-read explanation of exactly why . . .  

While bleach can be an effective way to kill bacteria and other pathogens, there are some risks that you should be aware of.

First, it’s important to note that not all bleach products are the same. Some bleach products contain other chemicals and additives that can be harmful to human health, particularly if they are not rinsed out of the tank properly. Janola, for example, contains sodium hypochlorite, which can cause skin and eye irritation and respiratory problems if it is inhaled.

In addition to the health risks associated with using bleach, there are also environmental risks to consider. When bleach is added to water, it can react with other chemicals and organic matter to produce harmful byproducts, such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs).

These byproducts can be harmful to human health if they are ingested, particularly if consumed over a long period of time.

If you have a septic system there is also the risk of the bleach killing bacteria you want to preserve!

What you should do:

So, what are the alternatives to using bleach to clean and disinfect your water tank? That’s easy.

If you feel the need to treat your tank it is usually due to having signs such as smelly, discoloured and/or foul-tasting water.  This is a clear sign the tank needs to be cleaned.  Treating tanks with chemicals is at best a short-term solution and does not remove the sediment which represents an ongoing risk.

So, in the first place, get your tank cleaned by Safe H2O. We clean tanks all over the entire North Island.  

We clean your tank and purify your water meaning you have no need for replacement water. You can read reviews from customers here and get a free no obligation estimate to clean your tank by filling in this simple form. 

In between tank cleans we can dose your tanks with a safe alternative to bleach or Janola to provide ongoing protection if that is required. We use hydrogen peroxide as an effective antibacterial treatment that provides a tasteless and safe solution.  Its chemical make-up is H2O2 and it breaks down into H2O (water) and O (oxygen). 

It is therefore totally safe for human consumption and represents no risk for any bacteria in a septic system.  At the same time, it is a highly effective anti-bacterial treatment.  So much better than using bleach. 

If you do want a tank cleaning price estimate from Safe H2O, the easiest way is to tell us about your tank using our short form.

Or give us a call on 0800 723 342 – it usually takes a few minutes, and we can answer any questions you might have.