Forum Discussion

hondochica's avatar
hondochica
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016

where do you fill your water tank??

Seems like a silly question . . I tried a forum search - but didn't quite know what to put in the search field.

So - I'm full-timing. Just started out a couple months ago. Don't have a house to go "home" to and restock supplies - including fresh water. I tend to boondock - am rarely in a campground, and if I am it's usually a small Forest Service or BLM with no water. I carry about 5 1-gallon jugs with me for 'drinking' water - which I usually refill at those water dispensers at a Circle K (i.e. "glacier water" etc - $1 = 5 gallons). I don't like the taste of the water from the tank.

So I'm wondering - where do you fill your fresh water tanks if you're not in a campground every/most nights?? I tried a gas station "$1" air/water dispenser once - got all of 3.5 gallons for my $1 - not a good deal.

Thanks for your time!

Kelly
01 Rialta
hangin' in SE AZ for now
Seeking Advice
  • hondochica's avatar
    hondochica
    Explorer
    Mar 08, 2016
    Thanks for all the tips! I had not thought of lowes/home depot - garden area would be easy! Right now I'm in AZ - public campgrounds are few and far between. And I soooo rarely use my black tank that I don't dump very often. I have a very small RV - Rialta - tank holds only 15 gallons - enough for a couple good showers between the occasional campground I do find.

    Thanks again!

    Kelly
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Mar 08, 2016
    I also spent time on desert blm land this winter. One of the best tools I have found is OTHER campers. You would think it just looks like a lot of rigs scattered around a huge area but there is a surprising amount of continuity among them and they know all the tricks. They knew everything from where the water is to how to go to Mexico.

    I have used many of the same type of places mentioned above. I have also used this.

    You may need to do a flush and bleach on your fresh tank though some people are more sensitive to water in plastic tanks. We drink water from our fresh tank but run it through a Berkey water filter. We move a lot of water through our tank and flush it any time it sits for a while. Especially because of non chlorinated well water.
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Mar 08, 2016
    where are you at
    when i was in Indiana a local state park campground was less than $20 for a night in the middle of the week

    we spent weeks in campgrounds in Indiana and kentucky

    anyway in your case, come for (1) night, arrive in early afternoon say 2pm, spend the night leave next day before checkout, you get water, a place too dump your tanks, showers ?
    and electricity to recharge the batteries
    you could also just pour your water jugs into your fresh water tank
    or get a spare 12v water pump and use it too transfer the water
  • darsben's avatar
    darsben
    Explorer II
    Mar 08, 2016
    FlyingJ and or Pilot or other truck stop.
    In small towns try the water department.
    If going by a volunteer fire department and there is a vehicle or 2 in the lot ask to fill there.
    In any township try the town offices.
    Lowes or Home Depot
    Visitors bureau in most larger cities
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Mar 08, 2016
    I have a buddy who I love dearly, even though he reminds me a little bit of Forest Gump. He told me there was a gas station in town where we could fill our water tanks. He got there first and was nearly done when I pulled in. When I looked at the water, there was a sign saying it was non-potable. He told me he saw the sign, but since he had a trailer to store the water in, he didn't need portable water.???

    I explained what potable and non-potable water was and that it doesn't say portable. He had to drain and sanitize the entire water system before we went down the street to a grocery store who allowed us to hook up to their spigot (potable) and fill our tanks at no charge.

    What I'll usually do is pull into an RV park for a night, enjoy the benefits of full hookups such as dumping the tanks and refilling the water tank.
  • BobsYourUncle's avatar
    BobsYourUncle
    Nomad
    Mar 08, 2016
    Where do you dump?
    Usually if the FW tank is empty the grey is near full.
    I boondock a lot and usually fill the FW at the dump station. Most I visit have a tap marked potable water.

    I have done gas stations, convenience stores, even the side of motels if I spot a tap there. Truck stops usually have a tap lurking on the building. I usually ask with a smile and hello. I rarely get turned down.

    Sometimes I have to fill my 5 gallon containers then dump them in the FW tank. A little heavy so I have a 3 foot wood stepladder I carry and put the jug on top, tip it onto its side and pour it in. I rigged a jug lid with a piece of plastic pipe that goes into my water fill outlet. Works great!
  • ktmrfs's avatar
    ktmrfs
    Explorer II
    Mar 08, 2016
    usually use cg water after we have consumed the water in the tanks and water we carry. but first check it for taste/ odor. Potable does NOT always mean it's necessarily something I'd want to drink for taste, or use for showering if it has lots of alkali etc.

    BTW we carry a portable water softener with us and use it quite often. makes a big differnce in areas with hard water.

    But we also fill the tanks at home along with 30 gallons of water in 4 7.5 gallon jugs that I fill the trailer with via a pump system. That will let us go a week or more

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