One Simple Way to Increase Your Trailer’s Fresh Water Supply by Over 50%!
Most small travel trailers with kitchens/bathrooms usually have small fresh water tanks compared to larger RVs. The size of the fresh water tank in our Scamp 13’ is 12 gallons and there is also a hot water tank (6 gallons). So, our Scamp carries about 18 gallons of fresh water when fully loaded. Since water weighs around 8.3 pounds per gallon at room temperature, filling the Scamp with fresh water adds about 150 pounds. Interestingly, we’ve compared towing the Scamp with (completely full fresh and hot water tanks) and without water and did not feel any difference in towing or notice any difference in average gas mileage! Because of this, if we are heading to a location without hookups (even if there are central water spigots available) we will fill up at home (including the hot water heater tank) before heading out.
The first thing to consider when looking at fresh water is how it will be used when you are camping. Some people use their fresh water tanks for all their needs while camping. This includes using their sink/s for washing dishes, rinsing food, washing their hands, washing their face, brushing their teeth, and even drinking; in addition, they will use their shower. In big RVs with 60 gallon tanks and larger, this may seem reasonable (with the possible exception of drinking). However, in small travel trailers, one has to be especially mindful of water usage when camping without hookups due to limited water in the tank. Note: if there are hookups at the campground, then careful water conservation is not really an issue (except for maybe environmental concerns).
After using our Scamp 13’ (with kitchen sink, bathroom, and shower) for around a year in a combination of boondocking and hookup locations, we now have a good understanding of what the trailer’s water and tank limits are with how we use it. If we are careful, we can go about 3 days without having to refill our Fresh tank (this is also about the same amount of time that it takes our Grey tank, 21 gallons, to get filled). This includes 2 people, each taking a shower every day (shower turned on to get wet, turned off while shampooing and lathering, and turned back on to rinse – aka, Navy shower). We also use our sink to quickly rinse our plates once or twice a day (depending on meals). One thing we don’t use our water for is drinking (or water for cooking pasta). Most of the water we use goes down the shower drain into the Grey water tank. We know some campers who are able to go at least double our time (maybe even around a week) without refilling water because instead of showering daily, they may shower much less frequently or take wipes and avoid the shower altogether! In our case, we pretty much like to maintain the same type of cleaning rituals that we practice at home.
The key way in which we effectively increase our Scamp’s fresh water supply by over 50% is by carrying our drinking water with us in jugs in our tow vehicle! We always bring two 4 gallon BPA-free water jugs in the back of our SUV for all our drinking and cooking needs when we go on a typical 10 day trip in our Scamp. By carrying an additional 8 gallons of fresh water in our tow vehicle, we are effectively increasing our Fresh water tank supply by 67% (12 gallons Fresh > 20 gallons)!!! This gives us a lot more fresh water supply. Health experts typically recommend a person drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (8×8 rule), which is about ½ gallon of water per person per day. So, by using this rule, two people would bring 10 gallons of water on their 10 day trip (1/2 gallon/day x 2 people x 10 days). We tend to drink slightly less water than this amount because we also drink macadamia milk in our cereal, oat milk in our tea, sometimes soup for lunch, and we eat a lot of juicy fruits (like oranges). So, for us, bringing 8 gallons of fresh water on a 10 day trip works out great (we always have extra water when we return home).
In addition to greatly expanding our small travel trailer’s fresh water supply by carrying our own fresh water in BPA-free jugs, we also feel more comfortable drinking the water. Although drinking RV tap water can be safe, that safety is largely dependent on the trailer’s tank and water system having been properly sanitized (see this article on how to sanitize your fresh water tank). In addition, contaminants can possibly enter the trailer when hooked up at a campsite (either through contamination by the hose, spigot, or the water itself). Using a water filter can help reduce some risk, but may not entirely defeat it. Note: water hoses used at campsites should be rated as non-toxic for drinking. We have always used our sink water for brushing our teeth and have not had any issues (but we do not drink this water – just rinse, and spit out).
There are many potential sources for fresh water if you choose to carry the water in a BPA-free water jug. Bottled water is perhaps the easiest way to take water on your trip. It can either be purchased directly at the market, or, there are often inexpensive water machines in front of markets that allow you to fill your own jugs. Many different types of water are sold, such as alkaline and chemically treated water. We have a filter water purification system in our home and use that to fill our 4 gallon jugs. Whatever water and method you use to fill your jugs, you will ultimately greatly expand the amount of fresh water capacity available for your small travel trailer and likely improve the quality of your water by carrying your fresh drinking water separately in your tow vehicle!
Disclaimer: You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale. These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences. However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer. It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.
