Surely we don't use that much water?

[johnyd]

We take one of these 12V showers fishing. 

Can easily use 8-10L per bloke.  Normally only have 1-2 showers in the week and we have an entire river sitting a few hundred metres from camp.  Also we sometimes take a small pump so we don't even have to carry the water in buckets from the river back to camp, we're a bit more leisurely in there when we have it than when we have to lug the buckets up the bank.

Can have a decent wash with a Litre or so if we just wet down, soap off then rinse off.

We don't use 40L of fresh water in a week between 8 blokes.

[Redcherokee]

I'm a big fan of paper towel when it comes to washing up.  Use it to remove as much food scraps and especially oil as possible. That way you can get away with less water for washing up.

The paper towel can go in the fire - greasy ones burn well 

[austastar]

Hi,
   we use an icecream tub instead of the sink.
Being plastic, it keeps the heat, will bend to accommodate larger plates, easily tossed out over a deserving bush away from foot traffic.
cheers

[Hairs]

I'm a big fan of paper towel when it comes to washing up.  Use it to remove as much food scraps and especially oil as possible. That way you can get away with less water for washing up.
The paper towel can go in the fire - greasy ones burn well 

Not only while camping, at home we use them as well.
 

[DeLuxHiLux]

Hi SM,

We recently had an issue when we embarked on a 3.5 week trip to outback SA. After 7 days, we arrived in Farina before going to Innamincka. I thought we had a dodgy hand pump, but it turns out we ran the 89l tank on the Omeo dry, with minimal use, no showers or anything.

Turns out when I was filling the tank I was filling it too fast and the neck of the filler was so sullo f water it was filling the breather and the filler was overflowing heaps. Turns out that it was just that the breather was full of water, but unfortnuately the tank wasnt.

the side to side slosh method is ok, but I prefer the tap tap tap method, but it involves getting down on the ground etc. I'm thinking of whacking a gague in, but its a bitof work. Anyway...lesson learnt. double andtriple check the tank to see if its full. I'm gonna try removing the fittings and stick it waaaaaaaay down the filler......

[JU5T1N]

Hi SM,

We recently had an issue when we embarked on a 3.5 weeks trip to outback SA. After 7 days, we arrived in Farina efore going to innamincka. I thought we had a dodby hand pump, but it turns out we ran the 89l tank on the Omeo dry, with minimal use, no showers or anything.

Turns out when I was filling the tank I was filling it too fast and the neck of the filler was so sullo f water it was filling the breather and the filler was overflowing heaps. Turns out that it was just that the breather was full of water, but unfortnuately the tank wasnt.

the side to side slosh method is ok, but I prefer the tap tap tap method, but it involves getting down on the ground etc. I'm thinking of whacking a gague in, but its a bitof work. Anyway...lesson learnt. double andtriple check the tank to see if its full. I'm gonna try removing the fittings and stick it waaaaaaaay down the filler......

A simple and quick gauge that is 100% accurate all the time is also the cheapest I know.
You need 2 "T" pieces to fit your tank hoses, 6 hose clamps, and enough clear hose to go the distance.

At the base of you water tank is your drain, put a 'T' piece here on the tank side so water always can flow into the 'T' before the plug.
Put the other 'T' piece on the filler hose that runs to the top of your tank.
Now join with the CLEAR hose. It doesn't matter if the clear hose isn't straight up & down it will always show the true level of water.

Also forgot to mention an extra tip to this:

2x small squares of plastic fly screen mesh or similar and 1 bright coloured round float (small enough to fit freely inside the clear hose) have seen ball or washer shaped used.

Put mesh over the 'T' piece's both ends of clear hose before joining the hose.

Put bottom hose on 1st then insert float before attaching top of hose.

Mesh keeps you float within your new gauge and also keeps possible obstruction out.

[johnyd]

That's what we use on our diesel tanks back on the farm.  Very simple and accurate.

[tojo100]

for 9 yrs had a soft floor camper no sink just a plastic tub,solar shower bag , no water tank.just 20ltr Jerry,2 if it was a long trip more than 4 days usually came home with at least 5 Lt's bought second hand ulti first trip to teewah beach 110ltr tank 5 days later ran out of water only 2 people as has been suggested put a 12v pump, a sink, fancy drainboard +a shower tent complete with another pump and the water she goes (like the idea of no tent as suggested told the missus net time we go the tent stays home) was told looks like i'll be going by myself

[Peter The Greek]

Bump for a useful thread.

I am mulling over this at present. Plan is space for 8 jerrys (say 2 fuel, 6 for water), plus another jerry in the kitchen, plus some emergency water (say 10L) in the car. So that's 150L of water.

...trying to plan for 2 adults and 2 kids worst case scenario being Canning Stock Route

Thoughts?

[trevc]

I worked on about 10L per day for the 4 of us on our lap and usually carried  100L with 10L stashed away for emergencies.
Water was surprisingly easy to source in most parts of country, and though we went to some reasonably remote areas it wasn't for extended periods of time.
Trev

[tracker]

Hi Sicilianmama,

We use these ideas when camping to stop excess water usage.

Wash your hands in a small bucket (buy your M&M's in the bulk buckets and use these handy little buckets camping).  Everyone uses this through the day.  Gets filled once in a day.  Cut back on the "handwash" as this uses more water to remove.  Where possible, use a natural water supply (the creek) to wash muck off ... NO SOAPS though IN the creek ... remove a small bucket full and take 200mtrs away to use soap to stop contamination.

Don't rinse your dishes under the tap.  Use a small bucket specifically for this and empty once per day or add to the dishwashing bucket under the sink.

Catch all dishwashing water in a 20ltr bucket.  Use this to put out the fire upon leaving camp.

Fill a 20 ltr bucket to HALF full and heat this for showers.  Do away with shower roses and 12v HWS's ... go back to the cup method.  You'll be surprised how many people can shower in this water.  Send the kids for a swim prior to showering to save on water.  Use the truckies APC method (arm pits & crotch) where possible.  It's still really hygenic to do this and you can still feel really refreshed if you also add in FACE to this.

Drinking.  Use 2 ltr bottles and have many on hand - my partner has filtered water from home he brings.  8 glasses per day per person = around 2ltrs.  Use small cups or small water bottles for kids, as we all know they will take 2 mouthfulls and tip out the rest.  Alternately give them a very small portion and ask if they want more ... give them another small portion till they are satisfied ... cap the cup on the rest if any is left.  Play water saving games with your kids at home to teach them to be more aware of their usage whilst camping.

When cooking, use the steaming method, and use less water to cook vegies.

When washing dishes, use enough water to cover 2 plates and that's it.  Wash cleaner things first and the really grotty stuff last.  Pull the plug on the sink to fill any dish that may need to be soaked, then refresh the heat in the water on the stove or fire and NOT by reboiling the kettle.

Cut back on salty or sweet foods and you'll cut back on the water consumption.  Offer water filled fruit like apples, manderines and watermelon.

We have a 130ltr and rarely go below 1/2.  When filling my CT's tank, it will "overflow" and suggest filled at 3/4's filled, darn thing.  What I do is keep a small length of hose handy to push down the "filler" and blow back into the tank ... yes mouth over the hose end.  This will assist in removing the "air lock" (which I believe is more a water won't shift and let the air out 'lock') and you can fill again as normal.  You may need to do this a few times.   Also, when placing the hose into the filler, ensure it's filled with water and not air as it can take a few seconds for the water to come to the end of the hose and this will be forced into the tank.   When the air is being removed from the tank, you'll hear it coming out.  We have a gravity fed tap coming from our tank and I utilise this for filling the tank, however we still get air locks from time to time.

If it rains, angle your tent awnings so that you can catch some extra water for use later.  We do this with our dogs drinking water and our shower water when possible.  Means instead of 5 ltrs of water I can use 10 ltrs to shower with  which is always nice.

As time goes by you'll be able to monitor the water usage more and your kids (can make it a game) & hubby will become more aware of what they can and can not do and that tank of water will last you much longer.

Hope these help you to see where you can improve and inspire you to think of other ways to save water as well.  Being that (well usually) we are THE driest country on earth, it never hurts to take these ideas from home and apply them for life.

Kit_e

     Wow......You have a little bit of spare time  Kit_e........
                                                                                   
                                  Cheers Tracker.
                                                             



                                                                           

[Barry G]

A rectangular tub with no hole for a sink / hand basin.
Can prop on end / corner to maximise depth with minimum quantity of water. ( Face & APC wash.)
Just a cup full for brushing teeth or cup of hot water for shaving, just like in old western movies.

[lilstookie]

We use minimum 4L for the dog, 3L for me, 2L for hubby, 6L for the three kids just for drinking....more if hot. When camped up, I try to make sure we don't use pasta or rice unless necessary and veg all cooked in one pot to save water. Bowl for handwashing and showers only when really necessary. We're 15 to 20L per day.

[prodigyrf]

Yeah with cara type fillers we've all fallen for the water in the breather thinking it's full trick and that's when I changed the Jayco clear pvc soft breather tube to stiff black poly tube to avoid the sag water traps between the slotted floor rails underneath. I still get a gurgle out the breather with the poly but prior to that sometimes I'd have to wrap a rag around the hose to seal it to the the filler neck, in order to force feed it and blow the water out of the breather hose before it could fill properly. They certainly don't tell you that in the manuals.

As for water use now with the 2 of us and upping the Jayco tank to the larger 82L we easily go 4 days without any conservation at all but that's not showering but sponge baths in the sink at night. I reckon we'd do 5 days and run out but with her indoors onboard it's time to hit the cara park and showers. So with kids and showers you're really under the pump so to speak.