Conserve so you don’t run out
In homes, cutting down on water usage is a way we can lower bills and do our part to conserve fresh water. In an RV, there’s a third reason you might want to try cutting down, and that’s to have enough water to last you through your trip with fewer refills and less worrying about running out of water when you need it most.
Turn it off
The first tip is the most obvious, and you can go as extreme as you want with it. If you’re not using the water right at that moment, turn it off. For instance, if you’re brushing your teeth, you don’t need the water to run the entire time. Turn it off until you need it. The same goes for washing your hands and washing dishes: If you’re not using the water, turn it off. You can take this a step further and apply the same principle when you’re showering. Get your body wet enough to lather up, and then shut the water off until you’re ready to rinse.
Take a good look at your toilet
Not every bathroom activity needs to be flushed right away. Flush solids, and leave liquids. You can get odor neutralizers to help keep the smell down, if there is any. Another way you can conserve water is by installing a composting toilet in your bathroom or a system that will recycle your gray water. You can also cut down on water use in the bathroom by avoiding using it altogether. Use another toilet at the campground.
Install new fixtures
There are a lot of water-saving fixtures out there you can use for your shower and your faucets. The goal of most is higher water pressure and less water usage. They get the same job done with less water expended to do it. You can install these fixtures in your shower and sinks.
Save your excess water
Sure – you won’t want to drink your dishwater or your shower water, but you can use it to flush the toilet and preserve your fresh water tank. Likewise, if you’re the type that likes to let the water run to get hot, save the cold water that comes out first. You can then reuse that water for cleaner needs, such as cooking and drinking.
Don’t rinse your dishes
When dishes are really dirty, we have a habit of rinsing them before stacking them to wash. Instead, to conserve water, invest in paper towels so you can wipe away the muck before you stack them. Another way you can conserve even more is to skip the paper towels and use a plastic scraper to scrape the residual food into the trash.
Steam foods that can be steamed
This mostly applies to vegetables. Once you’re done steaming them, you can use the excess water for various jobs around the RV, such as watering plants and flushing the toilet.
Keep your ice
If you’re using regular ice, don’t throw the excess in the drain. If there’s some left in your glass, save it or toss it in one of your plants so it melts and gives extra water to the soil. Another idea is to use plastic ice cubes. They come in a variety of shapes and are filled with liquid that makes them easy to wash, freeze, and reuse as much as you like.
Harvest rainwater
It’s bound to rain while you’re RVing, and you can collect that rainwater in buckets for tasks around the RV that don’t require the water to be super clean, such as flushing the toilet and general cleaning.
Take care while cooking
Consider cooking simple meals, such as hot dogs, that don’t use a lot of pots and pans that will need to be washed. Along the same lines, consider cooking more food than you need and storing leftovers in the fridge so you don’t have to cook as often.
As you can see, there are many ways you can conserve water while you’re RVing. Our blog is full of tips and great ideas to help you while you’re on the road or staying in a campground. If you’d like to read more of our tips and helpful advice, head on over to our blog!
