Class B campervans have fairly small tanks.  That’s just the reality of having a smaller Class B.  The Carado Banff has a fresh water capacity of 17.6 US gallons (66.8 liters), a 6 gallon hot water tank (about 22 liters, and a combined Black/grey/galley capacity of 29.5 US gallons or 111.6 liters.  In comparison the average American consumes between 100 and 175 gallons (380 to 665 liters) per person per day, and Canadians are not far behind!  These numbers include laundry, washing your car; activities we do not usually do in a van, or if we do, it is at a much smaller scale.  Still, these are big numbers.

Minimalism appeals to us and one of the things that we like about a small Campervan life is that we have to be aware of our water usage at all times, while our current life style on the farm almost takes water for granted.

For the past 20 years we were very spoiled.  Our farm is on a very giving well with an abundant flow of water; we never get a water bill, the well never runs dry, and as a result, we don’t really have to think about how we use our water.

A couple of times we forgot the water on when filling the horses’ water trough.  We turned the water on, thinking “We’ll just run into the house to do something…” and then…a few hours later, or the next morning we would find a lake where the paddock was, and the horses standing confused on an island that once was a hill in a paddock.

Our well stayed full to the brim even then!

We had no idea how fortunate we were until we heard that farms up and down the street from us had to drill really deep to get a good flow, and some ran dry occasionally.  We can’t help but wonder whether our poor water management had anything to do with their predicament…

But back to the campervan.

We don’t have to be super-conservative with our water in the van unless we plan on boondocking for an extended period of time.  Water conservation becomes an issue after a few days and we need to stretch what we have as much as possible.

So what can we do to conserve water as well as reduce intake of water and waste into our holding tanks?  Here are a few ideas that worked for us and some that we gathered along the way that may help you think about your own water consumption practices.

COOKING AND DRINKING:

1. Carry extra water: As a general rule we carry a few jugs of drinking water for consumption with us, and use the water in the system for washing, flushing, and cleaning. We have a small water closet that is accessible both form inside and outside of the van, which is convenient.  This extends our water carrying capacity by about 50%.  We also carry a few empty jugs just in case we come across a good source of free water.

2. Change some cooking habits:  for example, cook one-meal-dishes such as chilies and stews as much as possible.  They require less dishes and therefore less washing up. Steam your veggies, BBQ them, or eat them raw. Avoid frying food if you can.  Sandwiches also require minimal dishes and no power to cook either.

3. Use an Instant Pot: our Instant Pot (AKA Smart Pot) requires less water for cooking (unless you are making soup – in that case it will be the same amount, but less evaporation).  You can make meals for a few days in one go, so you are saving on water, power, and time simultaneously .

4. Cast iron or Teflon: Use a cast iron skillet or Teflon for some of your cooking as it requires less cleaning with water.

DISH WASHING AND CLEANING:

5. Pre-clean your dishes: this is so simple, but saves a lot of water! use a spatula (the scraping ones not the omelette flippers) to scrape clean your dishes before washing them (it is a better practice than using paper towels).  You could let your dog lick your plates, but using a spatula is a bit more hygienic.  If you love sharing with your dog, you can scrape the leftovers into their bowl and everybody will be happy.

6. Less soap:  if your plate is scraped clean with a spatula you can use very little soap to clean it, which means a lot less water for rinsing the soap off.

7. Veggy soap: castile liquid soap that is vegetable-based does not need careful rinsing. you will use a lot less water this way.

8. A trickle goes a long way: you don’t always have to turn the tap on all the way.  find the sweet spot where you have enough water for each specific activity.  You don’t alway need the water at full blast.

9. Contain your used water for reuse: for example, fill a little bit of water in a dishpan, you don’t need much, and use this water while you soap the dishes. Rinse the soap off over the pan as well.  You can reuse the soapy water for other cleaning jobs.

10. Waiting for hot water: catch the cold water while you wait for the hot water to arrive and use those for rinsing the dishes, or to soak small items that need to be washed

11. Disposables: we don’t like using disposable dishes, but we do carry some around with us for those few times that water is very scarce and we know we can’t spare water for washing dishes.  They can always be used to start a fire afterwards.  You can also use paper towels for cleaning and toss those in the fire as well.

12. Carry extras: bring a few extra dishes so that you can save some of your cleaning for your next campground visit, or when you get home.  The same goes for clothes.

13. Spritz instead: instead of using water to clean your counters and other surfaces spray them with a cleaner such Mrs. Meyer, and just wipe.  No water needed.  You can also use disposable wipes for this.

TOILET:

14. Reserve water for flushing: if using a dishpan for dish washing, save the water to flush the toilet.  You need to turn your pump off if using external water to flush.

15. The Canadian cottager mantra: “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down.” Send us a message if you are not sure what this means 🙂 the result of this practice is less flushing and a huge savings in water.

16. Hi -Low: if you are installing a new toilet in your RV, or when choosing a new RV, opt for one with different levels of flushing options.  This way you can half-flush, or full flush when needed. If you already have this feature install, take advantage of it and use it.

17. Composting or cassette toilet: We bought the Carado Banff with the idea of replacing the the toilet with composting toilet at one point.  The Banff has a combined black/grey tank and switching to a composting toilet will leave us with a huge grey water tank.  We may still do this, but we need to use the system more.  At any rate, if this is for you, installing a composting toilet is fairly simple and will reduce your water consumption significantly.

18. Hand sanitizer: use a hand sanitizer instead of washing your hands.

SHOWER:

19. Shower head: upgrade your shower head to one such as Oxygenics or Camco for a more powerful water stream that uses less water. Alternatively, install a water restrictor to reduce the stream flow.

20. On and off:  of course, turn off the shower or tap while brushing teeth or lathering.  We are still looking for a shower head with a quick turn-off button that will keep the heat setting when the water is turned off.  Let us know where you got yours if you have one!

21. Skip a few:  depending on your life style, you can probably figure out how often you need to shower, but try and be realistic about it.  Is it really okay, or did you just get used to the smell?  Don’t forget that you live in a very small space and if you smell the whole place will too!

22. Sud-less soap: use healthier soaps, for example goat milk soaps,  that do not contain the chemicals that produce the sudsy effect.  You will be using a healthier soap, while saving water on rinsing.  Bulk Barn sells soaps that lather a lot less.

23. Dry shampoo:  if dry shampoo works for you it’s the perfect solution as it uses 0 water.  It’s probably not a good idea to use it all the time since all it does is remove grease from your scalp and hair, but it may be a great temporary solution for boondockers. I tried it and my hair smells delicious now. You can buy dry shampoo, but it’s so easy to make.  Here is an easy recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup organic cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Options: 

• 3-4 drops essential oil for the scent 
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder – for darker hair
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon – for red or auburn hair 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients well and store in a shaker, or a jar.  Apply to hair with a large makeup brush or sprinkle on hair (use a very small amount – about 1/4 of a teaspoon), and brush the excess out.

24. No shampoo or conditioner: There is a trend of no shampoo/no conditioner/no chemicals, just rinsing your hair with water.  Apparently it takes a bit of time for your scalp to get used to it, so it may not work for those that want to do this on temporary basis, but if you think you can do without shampoo or conditioner, go ahead and try it, apparently it restores your scalps’ natural oils and is better for your hair.  You will definitely save water by not having to rinse the shampoo and conditioner off your hair!  Some people use apple cider/baking soda combination, but you still need water to rinse it off.

25. Shampoo cap: you can purchase a no-rinse shampoo cap for a quick shampoo/conditioner that uses no water.  You put the cap on massage your head and discard of the cap when you are done.  No conditioning required and all you need to do is towel dry your hair.  Magic.

26. Consider changing your hair style: Longer hair takes longer to wash and rinse, but needs less frequent washing (unless you have a very oily scalp), while very short hair can be washed very quickly even if you have to do this more often.  You can consider growing your hair long and keeping it in a bun or a braid, or cutting it very short, depending on your own circumstances and preferences.

27. Loop shower:  a cool shower system that recycles/filters the water so you can use 2 gallons of water for a long shower.  Looks like a nice solution for those who need their long showers!  We do think that when taking a quick shower, turning the water off for soaping, and then rinsing, we use less then 2 gallons, but We haven’t measured it.  The video below shows a similar system towards the end.  Very cool van and a cute couple 🙂

28. Filtration systems:  there are many different kinds of water filters around that will help you extend you water carrying capacity by using water from different sources.  Make sure that you use a purifying filter that removes contaminants and not just bad taste and sediments.  Some good options such as the one shown in the video above are UV light or reverse osmosis. Our friends at Roadtrip.love shared their instructions for constructing a filtration system.  Check them out!

29. Jump in a lake: you can rinse yourself in a lake or a stream, but please consider the health of the bodies of water and those living in it,  and do so responsible.  Do not take a full bath using your chemically laden detergents.

30. Shower pan: just like washing your dishes, you can get a tub or a bin and stand in it while showering to extend the capacity of your black/grey tank.  The water can be used to shave legs and clean your razor, flush the toilet.  If you are away from water sources you can discard the water outside .  Hopefully by now you are using products that are safe for the environment and are following safe water disposal methods.

31. Sponge bath: we call it Scottish bath, after a Scottish guy we met in Amsterdam.  That is how he bathed on a regular basis and he didn’t even have a van.  I’m sure you all know how to do it and don’t need instructions, but let us know if you do.

32. Baby wipes: between showers you can use baby wipes or body wipes to clean yourself strategically.

33. Be prepared: we carry some general plumbing extras such as hoses and clamps and the tools to fix leaks as we discover them.  Keep your eyes peeled and seize opportunities to not use the water in your van if possible.  Shower at truck stops and gyms. Schedule heavier water consumption activities towards the end of your stay, or save them for a campground stay. Be a water scrooge!

Implementing some of these allows us the freedom of dry camping with a rig like ours for about a week without needing to go for water or dumping.  You may be able to  extend this time by being more conservative.  Hopefully, some of these will work for you and help with your water management in your rig.  You probably have a few tricks up your sleeve that and we would love to hear about your experiences!

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