Saving water is crucial when camping off grid. When you’re far from a water source, you can’t simply hope for the best when your caravan water tank runs low. You need to be proactive from the start when it comes to water conservation.

Whether you’re camping off-grid for the first time, or you don’t want to get caught with a low camping water tank, you need to keep in mind the following tips.

Always Have a Backup

Even if you have a massive caravan water tank, you should still pack some sort of backup water source in your camping essentials. This could be as simple as a stash of drinking water in reusable water bottles, bulk water container or a clean jerry can.

That way you always have water available in case your primary camping water tank runs low or you suffer a leak in your caravan water tank (what a nightmare!). The reserve bottles will keep you hydrated while you come up with a solution.

Bring a Water Bladder or Rain Catcher

Keeping a water bladder like a Scottish shower, or a tarp ion your camping equipment helps you save water by using natural water sources. While it may not ideal to drink this water straight from the source, you can still use it for showering and washing up.

Use Hand Sanitizer & Wipes

Washing hands is important when you’re camping off the grid. Especially if you’ve got little ones. Hand sanitizer or sanitizer wipes are a great way to keep hands clean while still conserving water.

If you need to rinse your hands after wiping them with sanitizer, a spray bottle will save water without having to use the caravan sink.

Use Disposable Plates

Keeping disposable paper plates in your camping supplies, helps save water for when you would normally need to wash dishes. There are compostable plates and plates made from wood grain which can be safely burned. Adding them into your camping essentials will dramatically improve your water conservation efforts. 

Wash Dishes Once a Day

Washing dishes once per day is a great way to conserve water in your camping kitchen. You only have to fill the sink once, which reduces the amount of water used, and minimizes the water going into your caravan’s grey water tank.

However, doing it right requires a little strategy. You need to have a plan at the start of the day for which pots and pans you’re going to use to cook meals. Be careful not to plan to use the same things twice. If you need to use the same pot twice, consider wiping it out with paper towel if possible.

When you wash the camping dishes at the end of the day, you have to plan the order that everything goes into the water. Glasses and well-scraped plates go first, with the greasiest pans and such going last.

Putting a tiny bit more hot water in the basin right before washing the pans helps release grease quickly. It also helps the pans wipe dry easier than if they’re washed in lukewarm water.

Take Short Showers & Collect Cold Water

If you’re camping off the grid, the best way to conserve water is to take short showers. Ideally, you want to only run the shower for a few seconds to get your body and hair wet. Then turn off the water while you soap up.

Once you’ve scrubbed, you can rinse it off with a quick burst of water. With practice, this technique can get your showers down to a couple of litres of water or less.

You can even go the extra mile by collecting the cold water that comes out in the first few seconds. Then reuse it for making tea or washing up. That way no drop goes to waste, just because it wasn’t the ideal shower temperature.

Use Melted Ice Blocks from the Cooler

I rarely use ice cubes in my cooler when I’m camping. Instead, I freeze ice blocks from drinking water in Tupperware at home, then put them in sealable bags. They last twice as long in the cooler. Then when they melt, I can pour out the water from the bags for making tea, washing hands, or filling water bottles.

Flush the Toilet Sparingly

Anytime you’re camping in a caravan off-grid, you have to limit the number of times you flush the toilet. The old saying is “If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down.” This simple principle will conserve a lot of water in the caravan’s freshwater and wastewater tanks.  

Send the boys outside to do a bush wee if possible (only if there is enough bush to hide behind – try and be respectful to other campers). If the campground you’re staying at offers toilets that’s even better. Most families make a rule to only do a number two in the camping toilet if it’s an emergency.

Bring a Water Filter

Packing a water filter or water purification system in your camping accessories lets you tap into natural water sources. Something as simple as a Lifestraw or iodine tablet gives you the ability to turn a clear running stream into a source of potable water. This helps you save water by not drawing so much from your camping water tank.

For more information in water filters check out our Ultimate Guide for Choosing the Right Water Filter for Camping.

Wrapping Up

When camping off-grid, saving water isn’t just smart, it’s a matter of survival. Bringing a reserve supply of water in your camping supplies for an emergency ensures you have enough basic water supplies in case your main camping water supply runs out, or you suffer a catastrophic leak. 

While camping off-grid, use water cautiously and reuse water as much as you can. This can include things like saving the leftover water in the bottom of the kettle or capturing the cold water at the start of the shower for reuse.

Disposable plates and hand sanitizer also reduce the amount of water you need to use for clearing up and staying hygienically clean. Try to use as few pots and pans as possible for cooking. Then be smart about the order you wash them in to maximize the value of your dishwashing water. 

Making the most out of natural water sources is also a handy way to conserve your potable water when camping off-grid. Collected rainwater and filtered natural water can be used for washing hands and dishes. This will help with water conservation for drinking and cooking.