Everything You Need to Know About Drinking Water in Your RV

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One of the most important things to have on hand no matter where you wander in your RV? Water. You have to have water to live, and figuring out how to have safe, clean drinking water onboard your home on wheels is crucial. 

Fortunately, many RVers have come before you, and they have figured out a number of ways to ensure they have clean drinking water wherever they go. Here are the things I’ve learned. 

Understanding RV Water Systems

First, it’s key to understand how your RV’s water system works. Luckily, it’s actually pretty simple. 

Every RV has two primary water systems:

• Fresh water system
• Wastewater system 

The fresh water system is what supplies water for drinking, cooking, showering, and cleaning. It includes the following key components, which I make sure to keep clean and in good working order at all times for the health and safety of my family. 

Freshwater Tank

This tank stores between 20 and 100 gallons of potable water. It should be sanitized every six months or so and should never be filled with non-potable water. It’s also important to empty your freshwater tank completely before storing your RV. 

City Water Connection

If you’re in a campsite with a water hookup, you will connect it directly to your RV via the city water inlet using a freshwater hose. This sends water to your RV’s water lines, faucets, and toilet, removing the need to use water from the freshwater tank. 

Water Pump

The water pump is what moves the water in your fresh tank to the faucets in your RV. While the pump is unnecessary as long as you are connected to city water, trying to use the water in your fresh tank without a functioning water pump will be an impossible task, making the water pump super important if you plan to camp without hookups. 

Pipes and Fixtures

Lastly, there are the pipes and fixtures, which are what carry the water to the places you need it. These are connected to both the city water connection and the fresh water tank, so they can be used whether or not you have access to a city water hookup. 

Is RV Water Safe to Drink?

When we first moved into the RV, I was nervous about drinking water straight from the tap in our RV and I found that most fulltimes did tend to filter the water in some way first. That said, as long as you maintain your system correctly, it is actually perfectly safe to drink the water from your RV’s tap. 

RV water is considered safe to drink when:

• The source water is safe
• The system is clean and sanitized
• Proper hoses are used

That said, if you fail to maintain the system properly or use water from an unsafe source, you could see problems such as:

• Bacteria growth in tanks
• Mold buildup
• Contamination from dirty hoses
• Mineral or chemical taste

Sources of Drinking Water in an RV

As mentioned above, you can either store water in your fresh tank to drink later or get water directly from a campground water hookup. There are pros and cons to each. 

City Water

Many RV parks provide potable water hookups. The pros of using these hookups are that you will have a continuous supply of water and won’t have to refill your tank. Unfortunately, water quality varies from one place to the next, meaning you never know what you’re going to get. 

Freshwater Tank

Using your freshwater tank is great when boondocking or traveling between destinations because it allows you to be completely mobile. That said, you will have to deal with a limited water supply and maintaining the tank is crucial. Additionally, you have to be very careful about what water you use to fill the tank, making sure it is always potable. 

The Importance of Using the Right Hose

UIt’s very important that you use a drinking water hose specifically when filling your tank or connecting to city water. Drinking water hoses are usually white and are made from food-grade materials that do not leach harmful chemicals. Meanwhile, a standard garden hose can introduce toxins or a bad taste and should never be used for putting water into your RV’s water system. 

Filtration Systems: Do You Need One?

What about a filter? As mentioned before, most RVers I know use one and for good reason. Yes, campground water is pretty much always safe to drink, but often, it will still have a bad taste or odor. Fortunately, there are several types of filter to choose from. 

Types of RV Water Filters

Inline Filters

• Attach directly to hose
• Affordable and easy

Canister Filters

• More powerful filtration
• Removes sediment, chlorine, and contaminants

Under-Sink Filters

• Best for drinking water specifically

Gravity Filters

• No plumbing or pressure required
• Ideal for emergency use and off-grid situations

We use a countertop gravity filter (similar to a Berkey) and absolutely love it. 

Sanitizing Your RV Water System

Sanitizing your water system is one of the most important steps in ensuring safe drinking water. Like I said earlier, a system that isn’t cleaned can grow things like bacteria, algae, and biofilm. By sanitizing a couple of times a year, after long periods of storage, and anytime your water tastes or smells off, you can remove a multitude of problems. 

Basic Sanitization Process

1. Drain the tank
2. Add a diluted bleach solution
3. Fill tank with water
4. Run solution through all faucets
5. Let sit for several hours
6. Drain and flush thoroughly

Avoiding Cross-Contamination

One of the biggest risks in RV fresh water systems is contamination. It would be very easy to cross contaminate the freshwater system after working with the wastewater system. To avoid this, use the rules below. 

Key Rules

• Use separate hoses for drinking water and tank flushing
• Store wastewater hoses and accessories separately from freshwater hoses and accessories
• Wear gloves when handling waste systems
• Keep connections clean

Using dedicated equipment prevents bacteria from entering your drinking water supply. 

Boondocking and Drinking Water

When camping off-grid, water management becomes even more important. After all, you definitely don’t want to find yourself in the middle of nowhere without enough drinking water. For this reason, we like to carry extra jugs of drinking water when boondocking. We also make sure to use water sparingly and monitor tank levels closely. 

Winterizing and Its Impact on Drinking Water

On more than one occasion, we have had to winterize our RV water system to protect it from freezing temperatures. If you have to do this, make sure to flush the system throughout to remove all RV antifreeze. I also like to sanitize the system after taking the RV out of storage. 

As you can see, making sure you and your family have drinking water in your RV doesn’t have to be a big deal. Really, you can drink water right out of the tap as long as your water system is maintained, and by adding a filter into the mix, you can make sure your water tastes good no matter where you roam. 

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