Be a Better Off-Grid camper

by | Sep 25, 2025 | Boon Docking, Get Out There

How to Camp Longer Off-Grid by Conserving Water

When most people start thinking about boondocking, dry camping, or dispersed camping, the first big question is usually: “What do we do about power?” And that’s huge – which is why we wrote an entire blog about how we power our RV when we’re not plugged in.

But right after that comes the next question: “What about water?”

How do you make your fresh water last longer? How do you keep your grey and black tanks from filling up too quickly? These are the things that will often send people back to hookups before they’re really ready to leave.

The good news? With a little planning and some simple habits, it’s completely possible to stretch your tanks and extend your stay. We’ve camped off-grid for weeks at a time without worrying about water — and today we’re going to share the tricks that make it work.

Know Your Numbers First

Before you can manage water, you need to know what you’re working with.

Our fifth wheel has:

  • 54 gallons of fresh water
  • 83 gallons of grey water capacity
  • 49 gallons of black tank capacity

Every rig is different, so start by checking your manual or tank labels. Once you know your numbers, you can plan better and track how long you can realistically stay out before needing to refill or dump.

Water-Saving Habits That Really Add Up

Here are some of the simple strategies we’ve learned that stretch our water supply (and our tank space) for days – sometimes weeks:

Using Water Storage

One of the biggest game changers for us has been carrying extra water. We travel with five collapsible water containers, each holding 5.3 gallons. That gives us more than 25 gallons of additional water for cooking, washing dishes, washing up, and drinking.

These jugs fold flat when empty, so they don’t take up valuable space in the RV. And when they’re full, they’re easy to carry to a spigot or water source to refill. By relying on these for daily tasks, we rarely use the water in our RV tanks for anything other than flushing the toilet and showering.

 

Showers

Showers are the fastest way to drain your fresh tank and fill your grey tank. Instead of long daily showers, try:

  • Navy showers: Turn the water on just long enough to get wet, turn it off while you soap up, and then rinse quickly.
  • Wipes or rinse-offs: For in-between days, body wipes or a quick rinse with a washcloth go a long way.
  • Use campground or state park showers: Depending on where we’re staying, we’ll often look for local campgrounds or state parks that allow you to shower for free or for just a small fee. This is one of our favorite tricks because it saves both fresh and grey tank space in our rig. And honestly – Kati is a bit of a shower snob, so we always make sure the showers are clean before committing!

Dishes the Smart Way

Dishes can be a huge water hog, so we try to keep them to a minimum. Some tricks that help us stretch our tanks:

  • Wipe plates and pans with a paper towel before washing.

  • Use paper products (plates, cups, utensils) when we know we’ll be out for a long stretch without water.

  • Cook outside whenever possible – our grill and Blackstone are lifesavers. They cut down on dirty dishes, and cleaning them is simple, quick, and doesn’t use extra water.

Toilets and the Black Tank

One of the reasons we reserve our RV’s fresh water for flushing toilets is to make sure we’re using enough water every time we flush. If you skimp too much, you risk clogs in your tank, the dreaded “poop pyramid,” and some very unpleasant sewer odors.

The key is to always add plenty of water when flushing so waste can break down properly and move through the system. It may feel like you’re using more water, but in the long run it saves you headaches – and keeps your black tank working the way it should.

It’s All About Habits

At the end of the day, water conservation is less about one magic trick and more about stacking small habits. Every gallon you save means one more meal, one more night by the river, or one more day off the grid.

We’ve learned that once you get used to these habits, they don’t feel like sacrifices at all. They just become part of the rhythm of boondocking – and the reward is more time in the wild, less time running back to hookups.

Hi! We’re Vern & Kati – young(ish) empty nesters living and traveling full-time in our RV. After years of nomadic living, we’ve learned that the best time to live your dream life is right now. Follow along for RV tips, boondocking guides, and travel stories – plus a little encouragement to get out there and live big.

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