Water-Saving Tips for Your RV Lifestyle

When you travel by RV, you spend a certain amount of time fully self-contained. If you’re not attached to hookups, your rig has to provide all the water you need, and it needs to hold all the liquid waste you generate. If you want to stay away from the hookups for a while, you need to learn to conserve water while you are traveling.

Here’s a quick guide to saving water in your motorhome, from the team here at Cedar City RV. We’re in Lebanon, Tennessee, just 30 miles north of Murfreesboro. Please reach out to us if you have any questions!

Water conservation efforts can largely be divided into two categories: infrastructure elements that reduce water dependency, and habits that lower your water consumption. 

Water-Saving Infrastructure

If you want to use less water while you are RVing, you can make certain infrastructure changes. For example, get rid of a toilet that relies on water for flushing, and switch it with a composting or portable toilet. You can also swap it out for a low-flow, water-saving toilet. Install low-flow faucets and showerheads. 

Some hardcore full-timers install rainwater harvesting systems or greywater systems that allow them to flush your toilet with greywater. An upgraded water pump may give you better control over your water flow, so it’s not all-or-nothing. 

Water-Saving Habits

You can also change how you use water by being hyper-conscious about every drop. Turn off the tap when you are washing hands or tooth brushing. Skip the shower, or shower in the campground-provided shower, or be a super minimalist when you do take one. Haul water from the campground taps for drinking, cooking, and washing. 

When you are cleaning your kitchen or bathroom, don’t rely on running water like you might at home. Use pre-moistened cleaning towelettes instead. 

Save water from the shower, cooking, or washing up for flushing the toilet. 

Scrape and wipe plates before washing. You can even choose to use disposable plates—please choose paper over styrofoam, so you can toss it in the fire or compost it when you’re done with it. On the last day or so of traveling, you can just bring dirty dishes home and throw them in the dishwasher. 

Design your meals to use less water. For example, with pasta you discard a few quarts of water, while with rice or polenta, all the water is absorbed and consumed. 

Being water conscious may take a touch of practice, but once you’ve got it down it will actually simplify your RV lifestyle by allowing you more flexibility in terms of where you can stay and how long you can be on the road. Please reach out to us at Cedar City RV, in Lebanon, Tennessee, just 30 miles north of Murfreesboro.