Forum Discussion

katet78's avatar
katet78
Explorer
May 21, 2013

Freshwater Tank Refilling - What Do You Do?

When in a campground without potable water (either none at all or the spigots aren't turned on yet for the summer) what do you do to manage your water use and/or refill your freshwater tank as needed?

We have a travel trailer with a 20 gallon freshwater tank. We find that with "normal" use (dish washing, toilet flushing, filling the coffee pot, etc.) it lasts about 24 hours. We carry bottled water and a rubbermaid jug (I think it's a 5 gallon) for drinking and dog water (a giant St. Bernard need lots of water). If we conserve by using paper plates we can maybe go about 1.5 days. We carry along a 7 gallon potable water jerry can to refill our freshwater tank and it has a wonderful spout that makes it easy to pour directly into our freshwater tank. We'd like to purchase a few more but haven't been able to find them in stock. We have some of the basic plastic jugs that you would find at say a Wal-Mart, but those aren't as easy to pour into the camper and they tend to crack pretty easily. We'd love to find a solution to lugging along 10 jugs or being worried about running out of our water when there isn't a spigot to refill from at the campground. If you have a solution to using less water, or have found great products for hauling water from home, I'd love to know.

Thanks!

40 Replies

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  • CloudDriver's avatar
    CloudDriver
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    With two people, we are able to dry camp for 6-7 days with our 33 gallon fresh water tank.

    To conserve water, we do the following, much of which has been mentioned above.

    We use paper plates & cups. We heat soup, veggies, etc. in aluminum loaf pans, which go into the recycle bin at the CG. The only dish washing we do is breakfast coffee cups, for which we use minimal water. We cook with and drink bottled water.

    For hand washing, we open the faucet only enough for a dribble - never a full flow.

    We take navy showers - get wet, shut off water, soap up, turn on water and rinse off. We don't shower every day.

    We only add water to the toilet for #2, even then minimal water. We also use minimal water when flushing.
  • Hondavalk's avatar
    Hondavalk
    Explorer II
    May 21, 2013
    I bought a 30 gallon cooler at wally world that has a garden hose drain port. Then I use a 12 volt pump to transfer the water
  • katet78's avatar
    katet78
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    Thanks all! These are some great suggestions. I think our biggest strategy will just be conserving, which will take practice.
  • MontanaCamper's avatar
    MontanaCamper
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    fill the toilet only 1/3 to half when you number 2...number 1..like ^^^ said. guys on the trees, gals conserve. Fill coffee from your 5 gallon water, same as your drinking water. Wash dishes with a little stream for rinsing. Very little water to wash. I carry 2 5 gallon just for the holding tank and one 5 gallon for fresh water in side..coffee, dogs drinking. Waste water from boiling or what not goes in a bucket for dowsing the fire at night.

    can stay running for 4 nights with 3 people. and two of them took showers.

    just takes practice.
  • jwstewar's avatar
    jwstewar
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    Our tank is supposedly 40 gallons and it will last us about 24 hours with 5 of us taking baths/showers. I then carry a 35 gallon water tank in the bed of the truck that I bought from TSC. I then will pump the water from the bed of the truck to the gravity fill of the on board water tank. Usually if for a weekend that will be all we need to do.
  • boogie_4wheel's avatar
    boogie_4wheel
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    If it is the 7g jug I'm thinking about (blue with white caps, lays its side, and have a little valve) WalMart carries them.

    What about using one of those plastic barrels? 20+gal depending on the size you get. The local trailer store carries them. Other than the space they take up, you could set it in the back of your TV then siphon the water into your trailer when you run out. The downside is they are heavy when full, and do not collapse when empty (like a bladder would).
  • firemedic08's avatar
    firemedic08
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    We Have a friend who keeps a Large (Maybe 20 Gallon) Jug In his truck bed with a 12Volt water pump attached to refill his camper.
  • HappyKayakers's avatar
    HappyKayakers
    Explorer III
    May 21, 2013
    Practice water conservation. Biggest culprit is running water, whether washing dishes, brushing teeth or taking a shower. For dishes, use your biggest pot or a Rubbermaid container to wash the dishes in and another filled with clean water to rinse. For showers, take a navy shower - wet down, turn water off, soap up, rinse. For brushing teeth, fill a coffee cup half full. Wet toothbrush in it, brush teeth, rinse toothbrush in cup, use water in cup to rinse your mouth.

    Guys - pee in the woods. Gals - don't use so much TP when you pee. Use leftover rinse and wash water from dishes to fill toilet for flushing solids.
  • the_bear_II's avatar
    the_bear_II
    Explorer
    May 21, 2013
    I carry a water bladder that we have refilled from campground spigots where water is on, ranger stations, fire stations, even private residence or nearby private campground (for a fee).

    It holds 25 gallons, we put it on the hood of the truck and the water will flow into the fresh water fill on the trailer. I've seen others that use a pump that hools up to the truck battery.

    I also have a 5 gallon plastic jug we use when a water source is easy to get to from where we are camped.

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