What is the best way to get and store water at a parked off-grid RV with no well access?
My boyfriend and I are buying a large, remote parcel of land and will be living in a camper for a few years while we build our house. We will not be drilling a well for water while we are in the camper. So I'm wondering where the best place to get water would be, what we should store it in, and how we should transport it?
Answers ( 1 )
RVs are designed for limited living. Full timers depend on being tied to local water and sewage.
There are three options:
1. Bottled water. This can fulfill drinking and cooking needs, but this is a small percentage of the eighty to one hundred gallons of water the average person uses every day. Look at the usage on your current water bill and divide it to get an estimate of your per person monthly water use.
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/water-qa-how-much-water-do-i-use-home-each-day?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
2. Collection. Rain barrels can be used for pets and showering with filtering. For cooking and drinking, you would also need to disinfect the water. This is unlikely to provide enough water unless you live in an area with a great deal of rainfall.
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/disinfecting-drinking-water
3. A cistern. These can cost up to $10,000 depending on their construction and capacity, while drilling a well can cost this much or more. Cisterns have to be periodically drained and cleaned. With an HE washing machine, taking great care when washing dishes, using a low flow toilet, and installing a shower water restrictor you can reduce your water use. Topping off a cistern every one to three months might run $200 for a water truck, more or less depending on the area. You’ll need a septic tank installed, putting in a cistern at the same time might save you a bit of money.
https://www.doityourself.com/stry/7-tips-for-cleaning-and-sanitizing-water-cistern-tanks
Once you drill a well you can still store rainwater in the cistern, but it is unlikely you’ll need that much storage capacity unless you later decide to water a garden with it. Cisterns eventually need to be replaced, and wells run dry.