Drinking water is the most important food for us humans. At home, it just comes out of the tap in excellent quality, but that’s not quite as easy in the mobile home. Here campers have to deal with the initial water purification, water conservation and cleaning of water pipes and water tanks. In any case, the topic of water is one of the most important when traveling in a motorhome. Based on my experience, I will explain to you how water conservation works when camping.
Water quality is extremely important, especially when camping. If you are in places where you cannot constantly fill or renew the water reservoir, you should pay attention to absolute water quality. There are many important rules you have to observe when it comes to water-quality safety.
Table of Contents
Why water supply in the mobile home?
Sure, one or the other rustic tent camper will shake their heads when it comes to water in the mobile home. After all, in the great outdoors, there are opportunities to get fresh water before supplies run out. After all, there is no water supply in the tent. But if you are away for several weeks or months and really want to see your motorhome as home, you will eventually think about a convenient water supply in the motorhome. Let’s take a look at what we need water for in the camper. Then it quickly becomes clear how important it is to always have a large stock in stock.
After all, you do a lot with it in the mobile home or camper van:
- Wash your hands
- Cook
- Wash the dishes
- Toilet flush
- Camping shower
- To drink
A mobile home is not only a vehicle but also a home. This means that you can wash your hands in it before you eat something or after you’ve been to the toilet. They also have to provide themselves with food and drink, which also requires fresh water.
After the meal, the dishes have to be washed, which again requires water. In the morning or in the evening you want to shower or wash, brush your teeth and maybe wash a piece of clothing. Daily defecation is also related to water, although there are also dry or urine-diverting toilets.
Last, but not least: You need enough drinking water. However, it is up to you whether you also want to draw this from the water tank of the mobile home or fill up your water bottles on the way. For the basic water supply, however, a water reservoir and water conservation are required.
A water system in the mobile home
The water system in the mobile home is very similar in structure, and the way the water systems work differs only slightly from each other. Most camping vehicles have a built-in water tank in which the freshwater is stored. The tank is filled with a hose or a canister. So that the water can then be drawn from it, pipes have been laid in the camper.
>> Click Here To Check The Actual Price Of The Portable RV Tote Tanks <<
These pipes then run to the faucets in the kitchen and in the wet area, to the shower, to the water heater, and to flush the toilet. The water tank is available for 15 to 36 gallons for motorhomes in standard sizes. There is also a waste water tank in which the dirty water ends up. You also need a pump that transports the medium from the fresh water tank to the taps and, of course, the corresponding taps and fittings that are in the kitchen and in the wet area. It also needs a hose system that is located between these components and water conservation.
Water conservation in the mobile home and water disinfection
There are always bacteria and germs in the water. However, the concentration is normally so low that people do not mind. However, it becomes problematic if the water stands for a long time, as is the case in the water tanks.
As a result, the germs multiply, especially in summer when temperatures rise. Viruses in water are particularly dangerous, even if they fortunately occur less frequently.
However, if you drive to tropical regions, you should also pay attention to this. Visible dirt, such as sand or mud, can also get into the water. If this happens when refueling, there is a risk that hoses and fittings will become blocked. Algae shouldn’t really play a role in the water tank, as they need nutrients and light to grow. Nevertheless, algae in the water tank cannot be ruled out.
So water conservation is very important. This prevents further contamination of the water. Water disinfection, on the other hand, renders existing microorganisms completely harmless. In short: water conservation is necessary, otherwise it will spoil. There are various methods for conserving water in the mobile home.
Water conservation with Cleaning Tablets for Water
Many campers have had experience with the Cleaning Tablets for Water and are very satisfied with it. The water purification tablets are very practical, they automatically add the right amount of silver ions to the water every time the tank is refilled.
>> Ceck The Price For The Water Cleaning Tablets <<
Simply put these water purification tablets directly into the tank for the fresh water and the size of the pad for water conservation depends on the size of the tank.
Clean the tank regularly
Mud or sand that settles on the bottom of the water tank does not necessarily make you ill, but it is not a pretty sight either. In addition, the best water conservation will eventually be of no use if the tank is contaminated. The ideal case is that the new drinking water system is filled with clean and effectively conserved water right from the start.
If this has not happened, the water system must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Warning: This step is mandatory for a used motorhome.
After all, you have no way of knowing what the previous owner kept in the fresh water tank and how it was maintained. There are several signs that will tell you that the water tank needs cleaning. The inside of the tank must always be smooth and clean.
However, if the inside becomes greasy, slippery or slimy, there is a need for action. Then there is clearly a germ or algae problem. In addition to the germs, limescale deposits that can form over time are also a problem. In the long term, this can also be detrimental to health.
Although lime is harmless in itself, the surface changes due to the lime deposits. It is then no longer smooth but becomes rough. Bacteria and germs can settle here much more easily than on a smooth surface. The brittle structure, which is caused by the deposit of lime, can be easily felt with the hand. Here, too, the fresh water tank must be thoroughly cleaned and descaled.
Conclusion: fresh water in the mobile home
In principle, drinking water can also be obtained from the fresh water tanks. In this case, the hygiene of the water naturally plays an even more important role. However, many campers do without it and get their drinking water from larger drinking bottles.
They also have a water canister (in different sizes) so that they can cover longer distances without having to fill up the water bottles. But even if you don’t use your water for drinking, it must be sterile.
An effective water conservation system is mandatory. You also absorb the water when you shower by breathing and when you brush your teeth, not everything is spat out completely. A possible contamination of the water is therefore necessary through a good cleaning of the tank or through the treatment of the water with a preservative tablet.
If you travel longer distances with your camping trailer or RV and do not have the opportunity to change the water regularly, you should pay particular attention to disinfecting the water.
You should also always have a water tester kit with you to test the quality of the water. If you drink water that is contaminated with bacteria and germs, it can become very dangerous very quickly.
You should also always have enough water in separate bottles with you to be able to react quickly to different situations.
If you have further questions about water supply during the camping trip, you will find many interesting and important articles on this website!
