Camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. One of the best things about camping is not having to worry about certain creature comforts, like having running water. However, there may come a time during your camping trip when you need to refill your freshwater tank. In this blog post, we will show you how to do that as well as common places to locate a water source.
Most common places to locate a water source during camping
If you are planning to go camping, knowing where you can find water and how much water you would need are the most important things that you must plan ahead. There are various places where you can look for them, and below are some examples.
- High grounds
The first place to look for a clean source of liquid is at high ground. Picture this scene, it’s raining in the hills, small creeks are created, and it flows down to water plants or trees. Although some may be contaminated, stagnant, or polluted with chemicals, if you go straight upstream of where the rain falls on your campsite, chances are you can get clean water from rainfall.
- Lakes and ponds
Lakes and ponds are the perfect places for you to come up with a water source. Just make sure that it is not stagnant, but it is still clean and clear.
- Rivers, Brooks, and Streams
If you don’t like the idea of getting wet or if there’s no rainfall in sight, rivers, brooks, and streams prove to be another option for you because these are the sources of water. Even though these are more likely to have bacteria in them, if there is no other alternative available, you can still drink from them by boiling them first.
- Rock Springs
If ever the previous places are not available or accessible due to ground elevation or the weather, then you can always go for a rock spring. Although rock springs are not as clean and clear in water as the other said sources, if there’s absolutely no other place available, it will do.
In reality, depending on the location where you are, the chances are that there will be no flowing spring near you. If this is the case, then you have to find a closed source of water in order to get an alternative for it. It can come in different forms, such as rainwater that accumulates on the ground or even water that seeps into rocks. If you are lucky, you can find it on a patch of moss.
How to Refill Fresh Water Tank Using a Pump
Camping isn’t something that can be done without preparation. It requires you to make many arrangements depending on your camping site and the length of your stay. Before you even start packing, it is essential to consider what type of water supply you will have access to at the place where you are going camping. If your stay will be longer, then it is highly advisable that you have a water container because not all camping spots have a freshwater tank for users to refill their tanks.
This article discusses five handy tips on how to refill a freshwater tank using a pump during camping. This method of refilling the tank is more practical than using gravity to fill it.
- First, you must check the pressure of your freshwater tank in order to know if it is safe to use with a pump or not. If the tank has gallons per minute (GPM) rating on its label, then it can be used safely with a pump for refilling. If there’s no GPM rating, then it is not advisable to use the pump because the pressure in the tank might be too low for pumping. You can check if there are any visible signs that would point out that your freshwater tank has a high enough pressure for safe pumping by checking its water outlet valve. The check valves should have at least seventy pounds per square inch (psi) pressure in order to be used with a pump.
- The next step is to make sure that you have the right accessories before attempting to refill your tank using a pump. You will need an air hose, coupler, and nozzle for this method of refilling. The air hose is inserted into the water inlet valve. The coupler connects the air hose to the nozzle, and the nozzle is inserted into your freshwater tank’s outlet valve.
- When all of these things are ready, then you can start pumping by starting off slowly. Make sure that there is a slow flow before increasing the amount of water that is being pumped into your freshwater tank. Pumping too much at once into the tank can cause it to be filled with air and explode.
- Continue refilling until you reach the mark on your tank’s gauge, which tells you when it is full.
- The final step is to close the valves on your freshwater tank and pump, which you can do by releasing or unscrewing each valve.
What Can You Do If You Cannot Find Potable Water?
Being stuck in a survival situation without potable water is a very serious problem. Survivor has to find a way of making it possible for them to have ample drinking water as soon as they possibly can.
Here are things you can do if you cannot find potable water:
- Boiling – Boiling is perhaps the surest way to make water safe for drinking. All you need to do is bring the water to a boil so that it becomes steam, killing all microorganisms in it. The process of boiling basically involves using heat to kill microorganisms. Most experts recommend that you allow the water to boil for about three minutes before consuming it.
- Filtering – You can filter water through a tightly-woven cloth to trap bacteria and other microorganisms. However, if the cloth has been exposed to contaminants in the past, those will easily pass through it into your drinking water. You can use various types of filters that are available on the market today.
- Purifying – If you do not have access to clean water, you can make a chemical purifier by mixing a few drops of household bleach in one gallon of water. Mix thoroughly and let the mixture stand for thirty minutes before drinking it to kill any microorganisms that may have survived. You should never drink undiluted bleach as this would cause vomiting and nausea.
- Distilling – A distiller is a device that can make water safe to drink by boiling it and then condensing the steam. If you have a distiller with you, all you need to do is drop some ice into the boiling pot and then collect the distilled water that drips from a hose.
As earlier mentioned, camping is a great way to escape the city and enjoy nature. One of the best things about camping is spending time outdoors and enjoying the fresh air. Another perk of camping is being able to cook your own food, which can be healthier and more affordable than eating out. One important thing to remember when camping is that you need to pack in enough drinking water for everyone in your group, as well as refill any tanks that supply water for cooking or cleaning.