We are now in Coral Bay and on booking in we were told at reception that it was not advisable to hook the van up to the water as it was bore water. Our neighbours to the left have heeded the warning, the guys on the right are hooked up, no worries. Within a 100m radius I would estimate that the hookers vs. non-hookers are evenly divided. What to do? Will the saline bore water stuff up our water pump? We have heavy duty water filters - would that help? I would dearly love to have "water on tap" all the time but as we travelled from Carnarvon with only 1 tank half full, using our onboard tanks is not viable.
From here we go to Exmouth where I believe we will face the same problem. We are going to be in this area for almost a month. Would like your input please.

MikeMin
If you have been advised not to hooke up bore water - DO NOT

Bore water is an underground water supply, and therefore has no filtration. It can have high levels of mineral salts AND bacteria. The salts normally just make the water taste bad, but obviously the bacteria can be harmful. It can be filtered but this can be an expensive process depending on how bad the supply is.

Bore water is normally used for anything other than drinking for these reasons. Where it is the only water supply it is normally boiled before drinking. The locals know their water supply so therefore take their advise.

yep I'd heed that advice as well, the locals must have "pottable" water that they use somewhere there, find out where it is and use that some bore water is quite good, some is average and some is downright dangerous, it can be treated but this takes a fair bit, if they say dont hook up then dont hook up

Don't do it! Even if you hook up and don't run it through your pump it can damage other fittings. Try drinking it straight from the tap and make up your own mind. Exmouth water is ok. I hooked up there but I didn't fill my tanks or run it through my pumps. If there is sediment at the bottom of your coffee cup don't do it. Don't experiment with tea, because it may put you off tea for the rest of your natural. I did the hard, bore water apprenticeship at Streaky Bay. You get a slice of water rather than a glass. It's RUFF! Some parks have a rain water supply for human consumption. I didn't "do" Coral Bay in 07 because I was over there in school holidays, and it's impossible to get a park there and at Kalbarri. You may get a different result if you have filters. Cheers Chris

I have seen available at Rays Outdoors a water test kit that allows you to test the potabilty of water. Artesian water is great to swim in when its warm but the salts in it make it like a glass of Eno....

I can't offer an opinion but if it has sediments in it it will Bugga up the rubber vanes in your pump and may need to be boiled to get the sediments in solution to precipitate out  and kill germs/bacteria etc.

What you need is a "Patterson Trailer"......

You're right Basil. Giardia is a painful experience. I contracted it from a sand bore on one of the stations I worked on at the height of the build up, just before the rains came. It's the hottest, driest time of the year in the Kimberleys. Off to the Dr for antibiotics, and it went away. Take care with bore water from either an aquifer or artesian bore. Cheers Chris