When my wife and I are on longer trips we often have to add more fresh water in order to shower, wash up, and do dishes. In the past we've used 2 x 5 gallon jugs to add fresh water. I devised a system where using the house water pump we can pump it into the fresh tank. But we are getting older and these jugs can be hard to deal with. We want to buy a new Rhino 15 gallon waste water tote in order to replenish our water as it has wheels and would make life easier. A friend told me that these are not safe for potable water. We don't drink from our fresh tank and won't store water in this tote. It would strictly be for topping off the fresh tank. Has anyone else done similar or have any input on doing this?Thanks!

I can't think of a reason against using a new water tote for fresh water, but I would be sure to mark it clearly as potable water ONLY.

Do you use the fresh water tank for cooking? Dish washing? Tooth brushing? Even if you do not normally, I still would not put any questionable water in the fresh water tank. Some of the totes are made with HDPE plastic which is considered safe for food and drinking water. As long as the tote was never used for anything but clean potable water and sanitized periodically I see no reason not to use one to transport fresh water. Use a large permanent marker to mark it POTABLE WATER ONLY.

You can buy a 30 gal, or larger, bladder that will fit in the back of your truck. And much cheaper than one of those totes. Amazon has them29 gal

I wouldn't do so unless the plastic container is approved for drinking water.

Second something in bed of truck. A 12v pump isn't terribly expensive to use to pump the water from there into your fresh tank (if your current arrangement can't do this). At the end you have no heavy lifting or moving and a bladder is easily stowed away.Would I use a waste tote for potable water? Likely not. There's other options.

Waste water totes for fresh water | Good Sam Community

ktmrfs
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2022
Since waste water tanks are focused on waste not drinking water, there are lots more materials they can use, including "regrind" or waste plastic that has been reprocessed. If so, not knowing what material was used, once could end up with stuff leaching into the water that you don't want around you. Look on the tank and see if it says X% recycled material. If so I'd be concerned. That recycled material could be food grade regrind or it could be reprocessed assorted who knows what.

If the tank is approved for potable water don't see any issues as long as you can make sure it isn't accidentally used for non potable water.
IAMICHABOD
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2022
I see no reason not to use a new unused tote you described.It is made out of HDPE it is widely approved by both standards organizations and code agencies for potable cold water applications.
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2022
I had a collapsible wagon that I put lots of things in to move them and one was a marine water bladder. The bladder was just that and the wagon could be folded up and stowed on board.
Matt
camperfamily
Explorer
Aug 04, 2022
Second something in bed of truck. A 12v pump isn't terribly expensive to use to pump the water from there into your fresh tank (if your current arrangement can't do this). At the end you have no heavy lifting or moving and a bladder is easily stowed away.

Would I use a waste tote for potable water? Likely not. There's other options.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2022
I wouldn't do so unless the plastic container is approved for drinking water.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2022
You can buy a 30 gal, or larger, bladder that will fit in the back of your truck. And much cheaper than one of those totes. Amazon has them

29 gal
BB_TX
Nomad
Aug 04, 2022
Do you use the fresh water tank for cooking? Dish washing? Tooth brushing? Even if you do not normally, I still would not put any questionable water in the fresh water tank.

Some of the totes are made with HDPE plastic which is considered safe for food and drinking water. As long as the tote was never used for anything but clean potable water and sanitized periodically I see no reason not to use one to transport fresh water. Use a large permanent marker to mark it POTABLE WATER ONLY.
TexasShadow
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2022
I can't think of a reason against using a new water tote for fresh water, but I would be sure to mark it clearly as potable water ONLY.

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Waste water totes for fresh water

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