Potable Water - How do you manage

We tend to use a LOT of water when camping. We like to drink water with our meals, make ice tea, use frozen orange juice, plus water for the toilet and the sinks etc so we see our water dropping VERY fast.

At the beginning of the season I flush the water tank with fresh water and pump out, then fill and add some bleach and pump that out, then flush once more before adding water. After that I have no problem using the water tank for drinking, it is no different than using bottled water (can even be better if you have a reverse osmosis system in the house). Then when on the road I make sure that I only use potable water so the tank stays clean.

In addition to this we will take a flat or two of bottled water and we have a couple water jugs that we can fill up at the campground or even before leaving home. We also have a water pump that fits on the large bottle water jugs so taking a couple of these and leaving on the picnic table helps as well.

There are some very good filtering systems available so you can use lake or river water but at this point I have not invested in one.

If you are using a Brita filter note that this is only for taste and does not filter out anything from the water. In fact if not kept clean a Brita can cause water issues.

Just to clear up my earlier post. We sanitize the water holding tank with bleach before use, drain, flush, fill. At that point I believe the holding tank is clean and then if I put in potable water (without adding additional bleach), I can use water from the holding tank for whatever purpose I choose. The Brita pitcher we use is for drinking water, tea,etc. just to remove any unpleasant taste.

Kidoo wrote:
I never clorinated the tank, I will do this. Are anyone putting some bleach in their tank to keep water safe all the time?

No. It is not necessary if you start with a clean sanitized tank, put clean water in, and don't let the water sit stagnant for weeks.

I put a 40 gallon tank in my camper, since it came with only a 30 gallon tank. I have another 40 gallons outside the camper. I leave home with all tanks full. Many folks think that carrying that extra weight is crazy, but I like to know that I have fresh, clean water. When filling at an outside source, I always use a quality filter.

Some good info., thanks.

One of the things I would talk about, when I was instructing in High Speed Driving Courses, “The best way to improve your car’s performance is not to put hotter heads, turbos or tires on your cars, but to attend a driving school. Improve your technique.” The same thing applies here, learn how to conserve your water usesage. I am finishing up an 8 week leg on the same water I brought with me (potable) as well as some of the techniques I instruct on extending Fulltiming in a Truck Camper. There are a lot of really good information in the below threads. Sometimes you need to hunt through them, for what applies to you, but you will find ways that should double your current water capacity in them.

Also, potable water is so easy to come by, even in the desert environs, which you don’t have to search too hard, if you develop a skill of where to look and how to ask.

Water Conservation Clicky

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Additional Water Storage Storage Clicky


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I never clorinated the tank, I will do this. Are anyone putting some bleach in their tank to keep water safe all the time?

Fill up from home with chlorinated city water 50 gallons). Use it for everything though for drinking we use a pitcher with a Brita filter. For longer trips if we have to resupply the water I try and use a good source and run it through a filter as it enters the storage tank.

Shadow Catcher wrote:
I use one two or three water filters and have a pump so I can pull water from a lake or stream. Short of distilled water you can not get cleaner.

I stopped drinking water from lakes and streams 30 years ago. Many of our lakes and streams have been exposed to chemical contamination. Fecal contamination and giardia are present even in very remote locations. I would NEVER pump water from a lake or stream into my RV tank.

I am not sure why you seem to have a problem. I traveled fulltime for 2 years and never had an issue. I start with a clean tank, then bleach over night with 1/2 cup bleach for my 30 gallon tank. I drain completely and then refill. I have never had an issue with questionable water. I fill with a suitable hose at campgrounds, national forests, or from city water supplies. I use the water from the tank for washing, washing dishes, brushing teeth, making coffee, etc. For drinking, I do run water through a Britta filter. The filter will remove chlorine, many contaminants and odors. Since it removes chlorine you need to sterilize the container and replace the filter every couple of months or sooner. I also do a bleach treatment on the holding tank every 6 months or so with continuous use. If the RV and water sits for a month or so, I will rebleach.