Hi, looking for some tip on how you manage your potable water. When boondocking for longer period, potable water become sometimes a problem. Myself, I buy water for daily drinking, I carry a 5 gallons spare and I have enough for many days. Normally I would use my camper reservoir water for coffee and cooking. But sometimes you fill up with water that have a bleach smell or not so fresh smell and not sure if it is still drinkable. Do you use a filter, and if so, which type would be the best to fill up?Do you add bleach or other sanitizer to your water? If so, how much?I found a way to reduce my use of potable water. I use an external reservoir, I get as clean water as possible from a river or a lake and add some bleach. Selecting the winterizing valve, instead of using the water from the camper reservoir, I pump water from the reservoir for shower, this way I can have as many shower I want. What are your tips?

I replaced my tank with a 40 Gallon, and my Toilet with an Electra-Magic recirculating toilet. Now we do not use any potable for flushing. 40 gallons only goes to the sink. Also carry some drinking water in 1 gallon jugs when we know we wont have water for a while. Try to do the shower thing when we lay over at a campground. We travel light since there are 5 or 6 of us in the old Avion, so we have to stop occasionally on our trips to wash clothes, so we shower at the same stops. We haven't lived anywhere yet where we can boondock for extended periods. We are usually still exploring around Alaska. So much to Explore, and we usually only get off the island for a few weeks each year...Garry in Kodiak, Alaska

I fill up my tank at home, but usually use bottled or jugs of spring water for cooking/coffee/drinking. I have a 60 gallon holding tank, so water would only be an issue if I don't put enough in the tank. I use campground showers if I'm not boondocking. I can rinse off using my outside shower as well.

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.

We recently started using a Brita pitcher to clean up any bad tastes from the 42 gallon holding tank in the camper. In the past we've carried 5 gallon water jugs that we filled up from home.

I always filter the water as I fill the main tank. I also carry a 3.5 gallon back up jug in a cabinet. Haven't run out yet on a trip.

Potable Water - How do you manage | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

DoneItAll
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
Like others have replied, we use tank water for showers, flushing and dish washing. Coffee, tea and ice come from the 5 gallons (2 X 2 1/2 jugs) we bring along on the trip.

John
Kidoo
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
Thanks everyone, I will check on that brita filter.
The_Mad_Norsky
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
I fill up the main water tank with city water filtered through a Camco TastePure/KDF Carbon filter.

Main tank previously sanitized with bleach and drained out fully.

Previous owner had installed a General Ecology filter on my rig, so we draw water from that, and filter it a third time with a Brita filter. I had never heard of these General Ecology filters, but my for the cost of replacing a filter ($100 or $200 each, depending on which one I have) they MUST be good. :B

We hook up to campground water supplies as much as possible to save on water use from the on-board supply.
AKSuperDually
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
So far I've camped and showered for 4 people and gotten through 5 days. We cooked, cleaned, and showered with the tank water, and drank from gallon jugs we bought in the store. Longest trip with most usage still had about 1/4 tank after 5 days. I don't even fill the tank all the way anymore unless I know I'm going to be boondocking for more than 3 days without a reliable place to fill. I carry a charcoal filter with me for adding from questionable site. Mostly to keep the silt out of the tanks.
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Apr 30, 2014
I always filter the water as I fill the main tank. I also carry a 3.5 gallon back up jug in a cabinet. Haven't run out yet on a trip.
dadwolf2
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
We recently started using a Brita pitcher to clean up any bad tastes from the 42 gallon holding tank in the camper. In the past we've carried 5 gallon water jugs that we filled up from home.
Shadow_Catcher
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
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.
jimh406
Explorer III
Apr 30, 2014
I fill up my tank at home, but usually use bottled or jugs of spring water for cooking/coffee/drinking. I have a 60 gallon holding tank, so water would only be an issue if I don't put enough in the tank. I use campground showers if I'm not boondocking. I can rinse off using my outside shower as well.
garryk6
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
I replaced my tank with a 40 Gallon, and my Toilet with an Electra-Magic recirculating toilet. Now we do not use any potable for flushing. 40 gallons only goes to the sink. Also carry some drinking water in 1 gallon jugs when we know we wont have water for a while. Try to do the shower thing when we lay over at a campground. We travel light since there are 5 or 6 of us in the old Avion, so we have to stop occasionally on our trips to wash clothes, so we shower at the same stops. We haven't lived anywhere yet where we can boondock for extended periods. We are usually still exploring around Alaska. So much to Explore, and we usually only get off the island for a few weeks each year...
Garry in Kodiak, Alaska

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Potable Water - How do you manage

19 Replies

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