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I've read this well-researched post Garden Hoses: how safe are they? But it focuses on hoses.

My question is about a hose reel. I've seen enough "drinking water safe" hoses (usually polyurethane and rubber), but I am yet to find a "drinking water safe" hose reel. On the contrary, any hose reel that is sold in US as well (I am in Canada), has the California Prop 65 warning. Those that don't have the warning are Canadian only, therefore they don't require a California warning.

So, with that in mind, what should I be looking for in a hose reel, to make sure it is "drinking water safe"?

  • Are "solid brass fittings" automatically a no-no? (The "drinking water safe" hoses usually have chrome-plated brass fittings).
  • What about plastic connector fittings, like Gardena? Are they safe as long as they are PVC-free?
Community
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Slav
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2 Answers2

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It's a miracle so many of us survived childhood. I drank from hoses all the time, and I've lived to tell the story. Even so, it's not a safe practice.

As you know, there are several "drinking water safe" hoses out there. Using a reel, as I also do, is efficient, but does little to prevent the growth of bacteria in the residual water left in the hose. I use gravity to empty my hoses before winding up, but there's no way to "dry-out" a hose, making it an ideal bacteria farm.

Plus, little critters enjoy a nice drink also. Seen or unseen, you can bet there are insects and spiders enjoying a drink from your hose.

Look for "Lead Free, BPA free, and phthalate free" hoses, often marketed for RV's, boating, and camping. I'd avoid brass fitting for the metallic taste alone. If you want to continue using your current reel set-up, consider adding a filter, such as "Camco 40043 TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector," which over 12,000 Amazon reviewers seen to like.
Cheers, Slav!
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LaBelle42
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I've been looking for a drinking water safe garden hose reel for years, but never been able to find one that I was comfortable using, so I've been forced to just coil my hoses up on the ground. But just recently, Eley has redesigned the internal plumbing on their garden hose reels and they are now drinking water safe.

You can get them here.

Aaron Gray
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