Water Filling up

PendleWitch

Guest
Hi there

We've just started full timing and are still finding our feet. We've just booked onto a site for the night as we're out of water and didn't know what else to do, having tried to fill up at a petrol station, but to no avail. How do other full timers fill up without booking onto a site (extortionately expensive for 6 people!)

Pru
 
petrol stations generally have an outside tap somewhere.ask a spotty kid rather than a manager,offer a small fee if needed.public toilets are ok too if they have hold down taps then you just have to put up with that,or stick a jubilee clip on.allotments have taps too,and churchyards for the flowers,after a while you'll be able to spot a standpipe from miles away,at night,inthe rain.another tip for the serious is 4 buckets that fit inside one another,to be put under the van's 4 corners when it rains,all good for washing up etc
just noticed you said you have 6 people in the van,no wonder you're running out!best look for a bowser!
 
Last edited:
thanks for these ideas! We tried a petrol station earlier today, but I think my husband's mistake was not to go in and ask first as they turned the water off on him :-/
 
Its probably worth joining the Caravan Club and using their CL (5 van Certified Locations) for the odd night if you stuggle to find water or empty the waste. Even the basic ones have waste and water and start at around £3 per night. There are 2500 in the UK.
 
Plenty of other threads here on this topic, but it's usually easy enough to find water. Carry a short length of hose and a few adaptors to fit various taps, or a small plastic jug and water carriers, then just top up your supply at public toilets, picnic sites, garages (offer a small donation to their charity box), cemeteries, boat yards and marinas. Or ask at a pub or building site. You could even knock on someones' door and ask politely, I've never been refused! Failing that, you can buy cheap bottled water from supermarkets etc. If you're ever worried about the purity you can always run the tap for a while first, or boil or add purifying tablets to the water later.

Don't wait until you run out of water, but top up from free sources whenever you can.

There shouldn't be a need to go onto a site just to get water.

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/general-chat/7758-where-get-water.html

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/general-chat/10911-getting-water.html
 
I keep a 25liter bottle alway full in the van and we try to keep the main tank full all the time so when I spot a tap I go fill that bottle up.

Easiest so far is texaco/total petrol stations, they have the air machine which is 50p but there's alway a hose there for filling up your engine radiator etc so I use that. Pic
A busy petrol statio and they won't notice. But I would
Only fill the 25litrw bottle not the full tank - partly cus those hose things are slow :)
 
I fill up tank for non drinking water from the washer water unit at petrol stations
Small g clamp is a help as holding gun can be an bore. Never questioned but always aware of others that may need to use the service while I'm filling. Most you have to pay for have screen wash mixed into water so obviously avoid.
 
I carry a length of hose attached to a plastic bottle, goes over all taps, i use public toilets, if i cant get near to to a tap, i have a 25 ltr plastic container, fill that up then transfer to my tank,from my kitchen window, lol, a bit of a pain but arf hour and its done, except for once in the Highlands, never saw a car for 3 days, stopped to get water at public toilets and a coach load of tourists turned up, typical lol,
 
If you can't fill up use Bottled water for drinking and cooking and visit council leisure centres for a shower.
 
Water???

Why not buy water @ less that 20p per 2ltrs
from Morrison/Tesco/Asda own brand labels....
John.
 
All brilliant advice above.

As you are relatively new have you also looked how your limited supply of water gets used? How long does each of you keep a tap running? Do you use the shower? Without wanting to sound patronising we have learned to use the minimum amount, running the tap for just long enough to wash hands no longer. Do you have a 'young offender' who keeps the water running unecessarily? And so on ...
 
ideally go swimming .so you pay for a swim. or some you just wander in and have a shower and wander out.
on many busy campsites near the beach you can do the same . just wander in with trunks and towel.
cant really see a problem in the eu not being able to get water anywhere. just about every town or village as a water tap or drinking fountain available. as been alreadysaid fill a small container frequently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top