Tips to Conserve Water and Holding Tanks While Boondocking

It's All Fun And Games 'Til The Tap Dries Up
(Or The Toilet Overflows !)

How long can you stay in a boondocking location? These tips will help you conserve water and waste tanks to extend your stay.

1. When you fill your tanks with water, even at a reputable source, you can't always be sure of the water quality or if it tastes "good." Carry a separate container (ours is 7 gallons) for "good" drinking water. It has a spout and is fastened in place with a strong bungey-cord.
   When we find water that's potable but doesn't taste very good, we fill our main RV tank which we use only for washing and flushing. Then we purchase water to fill our drinking water container. It's cheap - $2.00 fills our 7 gallon tank at most water filtration kiosks.
   
   
2. Use paper towels (Viva brand is strong, absorbant, and cheaper than other comparable brands) to wipe all debris from your dishes before washing them.
3. Trying to conserve water when rinsing your dishes? Use a safe, vegetable-based dish soap (Simplicity is one brand - available at Wal-mart) so that rinsing is not as important..
   
4. Use less dish soap - you won't have to rinse as much.
5. Cook in easy-to-clean pots and pans. (e.g. Teflon coated)
6. Conserve water by steaming your veggies (in about an inch of water) instead of boiling them.
7. Wash dishes in a separate tub (that fits inside your sink), dump used dish water outside or down the toilet since the black tank always holds way more than the grey. If you don't flush with water every time you use the toilet, it's a good way to add more water to the black tank.
8. Showers are a luxury for when you have easy water access. Otherwise, for daily hygiene, a sponge bath or “bird bath” as some call it, does the trick quite well.
9. If you insist on a shower, "Navy Style" is the only way. (Wet down, turn water off, lather up and wash, then turn water back on for a quick rinse.) Showering in cold (or tepid) water is a good way to resist the temptation of drawing it out (and probably more true to actual navy style).
10. Shower outdoors whenever possible to save on waste tank capacity.
11. Install an on-off controlled shower head (a dishwashing spray nozzle is great) to replace your RV shower head - it gives far greater control.
12. Wash your hair using a non shampoo method. (Try Dr. Hulda's Clark's recommendation of Borax followed by a citric acid rinse which we've been using for 12 years). This conserves water because it won't require as much rinsing plus washing your hair outdoors won't harm the environment.
13. Wear your hair short - it takes less shampoo and less water to wash and rinse it.
14. While waiting for hot water from the tap, catch the running water in a clean jug to reuse it. If you're about to do the dishes, you could put the first (cooler) water in the rinse tub.
15. Turn off the pump and don't use water to flush the toilet after every use. Instead, clean the bowl with a toilet brush and a spray disinfectant once or twice daily. If you insist on flushing with water, keep the pump turned off, and keep a jug of (already used once) water by the toilet . Catch water when you shower, or from washing your dishes for this.
16. Don't run the tap while brushing your teeth. To wet your toothbrush, shave, or wash your face or hands, conserve water by turning the tap on to just a slow dribble.
17. Use public toilets when available. In the desert or forest, unless local regulations don't allow it, go for a walk with a small camper's shovel in your pocket. Bury your waste at least 6 inches deep. Don't bury toilet paper because animals will dig it up. (Tent-campers do this, so why shouldn't you?)
18. Even when you use your RV toilet, don't flush toilet paper. Instead seal it in plastic (keep used sandwich baggies or bread bags in the bathroom) and put in your garbage. This also reduces the amount of chemicals you need to add to your tank.
19. Here's a novel idea: buy reusable plastic ice cubes - they conserve water by reusing the same water again and again and have an added bonus - chilling your drinks without diluting them.
20. If parked near a creek or lake, conserve water by using clear stream water to flush your toilet. (I include this hint with a caution...you don't want any unseen, unknown "critters" invading your tanks.)
21. Don't ignore a water drip or leak - repair it immediately.
22. Laundry - small items like socks or underwear can be soaked (the longer the better) in a 5 gallon pail, then use your toilet plunger to churn them until clean. Otherwise laundry requires too much water and is best saved for a laundromat. Some RV catalogues sell a washtub called Wonderclean ($35.00). You fill it with water, add clothes and detergent, close it, and churn by hand. Reviews from other RVers say: "Don't buy it." Your clothes come fairly clean but it takes a lot of water to rinse the clothes and still more to clean the grime out of the washtub afterwards, and then there's the challenge of wringing the clothes out....
23. Carry some (collapsible) water containers in your travel (toad) vehicle at all times. You may run across a water fill where you least expect it.

How Long Have You Stayed In One Boondocking Location?

And how did you conserve water and space in your waste tanks to do it?

Have some great water-conserving tips to share?

I compiled the above list from our own experience plus some suggestions from other RVers. Do you know of other unique ways to conserve water or waste tank capacity while boondocking? If so, we'd love it if you shared your tips with us and other visitors to the website.

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