The Complete Caravanners’ Guide To Carrying Water

Water is life on the road. Too little and you’ll be hunting for taps every second day. Too much and you’ll be crawling up hills with unnecessary weight. Getting your water storage right means understanding your consumption, the different tank options, and how to balance capacity with practicality.

Most caravanners underestimate how much water they actually use. A family of four can easily burn through 100-150 litres per day with showers, cooking, and washing up. Solo travellers might get by on 40-60 litres. The key is building a system that gives you genuine independence without turning your van into a water truck.

How Much Water Do You Actually Need?

Before diving into tanks and pumps, you need to nail down your actual water consumption. The numbers vary wildly depending on your travel style, group size, and how much you’re willing to compromise on convenience.

A rough baseline for moderate usage:

• Solo traveller: 50-80 litres per day
• Couple: 80-120 litres per day
• Family of four: 120-180 litres per day

These numbers assume normal cooking, washing up, teeth brushing, and a daily shower. Add another 20-30 litres if you’re washing clothes regularly or taking longer showers.

Your storage capacity should give you 3-5 days of independence as a minimum. This means a couple needs around 300-400 litres total capacity, while families might want 500+ litres. These numbers sound huge, but remember you’re not carrying it all as dead weight – you’re using it constantly and refilling regularly.

Understanding Your Tank Options

Water storage breaks down into two main camps: built-in systems integrated with your van, and portable solutions you can move around. Each has serious trade-offs in capacity, convenience, and cost.

Built-In vs Portable: The Big Decision

Built-in systems give you massive capacity and the luxury of pressurised water through taps. You’ll typically get 100-200 litres of fresh water storage, sometimes more. The downside is weight distribution, tank access for cleaning, and the complexity of pumps and plumbing.

Portable systems trade capacity for flexibility. You can carry exactly what you need, take containers to water sources instead of moving the whole van, and easily clean or replace damaged containers. The trade-off is constant container juggling and usually manual pumps or gravity feed.

Material Considerations

Most modern caravan tanks use food-grade polyethylene, which is light, durable, and UV-resistant. Stainless steel appears on some high-end vans but adds significant weight for questionable benefit. Avoid any tank that isn’t specifically rated for potable water.

For portable containers, you want thick-walled polyethylene with proper food-grade certification. Thin containers might be cheaper but they’ll split after a few months of UV exposure and temperature cycling.

Built-In Tank Systems

Factory-fitted water systems in caravans range from basic gravity-fed setups to sophisticated pumped systems with hot water service integration. Understanding what you’re getting helps avoid nasty surprises.

Fresh Water Tanks

Your main fresh water tank sits underneath the van, usually between the axles for weight distribution. Sizes typically range from 95 litres on compact vans up to 180+ litres on big family rigs. Tank shape matters more than you’d think – wide, shallow tanks have better weight distribution but can be harder to drain completely.

Tank placement affects your entire water system. Tanks mounted too far forward put weight on the tow ball. Too far back and you’ll get trailer sway. The sweet spot is between the axles, as close to the centre line as possible.

Grey Water Tanks

Grey water (shower and sink drainage) needs somewhere to go. Many caravanners skip grey water tanks entirely, letting sink water drain onto the ground. This works fine in remote areas but causes problems in caravan parks and some national parks that require contained drainage.

If your van has a grey water tank, expect 60-100 litres capacity. These tanks fill faster than you’d think – a single shower can use 30-40 litres of water that all needs catching.

Portable Water Solutions

Portable water systems give you maximum flexibility at the cost of convenience. You’ll be lifting, filling, and managing multiple containers, but you get precise control over how much water you’re carrying and where.

Jerry Cans and Water Containers

The workhorse of portable water storage is the humble 20-litre jerry can. They stack well, fit in most storage compartments, and let you carry exactly the water you need for each leg of your trip.

Larger containers (25-30L) exist but become awkward to handle when full. A 30-litre container weighs 30kg plus the container weight – too much for most people to lift comfortably into storage compartments.

Flexible Water Tanks

Flexible tanks solve the square-peg-round-hole problem of rigid containers. They conform to available space and can squeeze into compartments that wouldn’t fit traditional jerry cans.

The downside of flexible tanks is durability. They’re more vulnerable to punctures and UV damage than rigid containers. Most last 2-3 years with regular use before needing replacement.

Water Trolleys and Portable Systems

For extended dry camping, water trolleys let you move large amounts of water without the weight permanently installed in your van. These systems typically hold 50-100 litres and include wheels for transport to and from water sources.

Water Pump Systems Explained

Getting water from your tanks to your taps requires some form of pump system. Your options range from simple hand pumps to sophisticated 12V pressure systems that rival home plumbing.

12V Water Pumps

Most modern caravans use 12V diaphragm pumps that create water pressure on demand. When you open a tap, the pressure drop triggers the pump to start. These systems give you the convenience of pressurised water without constantly running the pump.

Pump flow rates matter more than pressure ratings. Look for pumps rated at least 10 litres per minute. Anything less feels frustratingly slow when filling pots or taking showers.

Accumulator Tanks

Accumulator tanks smooth out the pulsing from diaphragm pumps and reduce cycling. They store pressurised water so the pump doesn’t start every time you crack a tap. The result is steadier flow and longer pump life.

Manual and Gravity Systems

Hand pumps and gravity-fed systems remove the electrical complexity but require more effort. Foot pumps work well for outdoor showers, while gravity systems give steady flow for basic washing tasks.

The Yakima RoadShower ~$350 represents the premium end of pressurised portable systems. It mounts to roof racks and uses air pressure for water delivery.

Monitoring Your Water Levels

Running out of water 200km from the nearest town is a rookie mistake you make exactly once. Proper monitoring systems tell you exactly how much water remains and when to start looking for refill opportunities.

Tank Monitoring Systems

Basic tank monitoring uses external gauges mounted in visible locations. These systems use sensors in the tank connected to panel-mounted displays. Accuracy varies, but they’re better than guessing.

More sophisticated systems integrate with 12V management panels, showing fresh water, grey water, and black water levels on the same display. These systems cost more but give you complete tank status at a glance.

Smart Monitoring Options

Bluetooth and WiFi tank monitors connect to smartphone apps for remote monitoring. You can check water levels from inside the van without walking outside to read gauges.

Water Quality and Treatment

Tank water isn’t automatically safe water. Australia’s town water supplies are generally excellent, but tank storage and distribution systems can introduce contamination. Understanding water treatment options keeps you healthy on the road.

Filtration Systems

Inline water filters install between your tank and taps, removing sediment, chlorine taste, and some contaminants. Basic carbon filters cost under $50 and significantly improve water taste.

Multi-stage filtration systems combine sediment filters, carbon blocks, and sometimes UV sterilisation for comprehensive water treatment. These systems cost $200-500 but provide near-household water quality.

UV Sterilisation

UV sterilisers kill bacteria and viruses without chemicals. They install inline with your plumbing and require 12V power to operate. UV systems work well with tank water but won’t remove chemical contaminants.

Tank Maintenance and Sanitisation

Regular tank cleaning prevents algae growth and bacterial contamination. Use unscented household bleach (1 tablespoon per 40 litres) to sanitise tanks, followed by thorough flushing.

Our Recommendations

After considering capacity needs, system complexity, and real-world practicality, here’s what we’d choose for different travel styles and budgets.

For Most Caravanners

The sweet spot combines a decent-sized built-in tank (100-140 litres) with portable backup storage. This gives you the convenience of pressurised water for daily use, plus the flexibility to extend range with jerry cans when needed.

Start with your van’s existing tank system and add 4-6 jerry cans for extended range. A basic 12V pump with accumulator tank provides excellent water pressure without complexity.

For Budget-Conscious Travellers

Skip the built-in complexity and go fully portable. Six 20-litre jerry cans give you 120 litres capacity that you can distribute around your van for optimal weight distribution. Add a 100-litre flexible tank for base camp situations where you’ll stay put for weeks.

Use foot pumps for pressurised water when you need it, and gravity feed for basic tasks. The setup costs under $600 and gives you complete flexibility.

For Extended Remote Touring

Maximum water capacity trumps everything else. Look for vans with 150+ litre fresh water tanks, then add auxiliary storage to push total capacity over 250 litres. This gives you 7-10 days independence for a couple.

Invest in proper filtration and UV sterilisation – you’ll be relying on questionable water sources more often on extended trips.