Hi, I’m new to vanlife and I’m not sure about safety when it comes to the water tank situation. I have three 10L water containers which I fill up from my mums tap in her house before trips (I’m in Scotland so it’s soft water). I clean the tanks with warm water and fairy liquid once a week and once a month I have been using tank cleaner. Usually 30L lasts me a week and I’ve been drinking from it all week but now I’m reading I shouldn’t be drinking it after 3 days unless boiled. What is the safe option? Given I clean my tanks weekly, would it be safe to drink for a week? I was going to start occasionally going on two week trips and buying bottled water from shops for the second week. Should I not pour the bottled water into the containers incase the tanks are contaminated after a week?
some of us on here have been drinking the water from our caravans for the last 30-50 years and we are still alive and kicking!
you dont use washing up liquid to clean the tanks the stuff you need is called puriclen, and it is only neccessary to do it twich a year if that, as for refilling surely you can get water from a petrol station via the hosepipe?
Quote: Originally posted by Hollyb96 on 30/7/2025
I will look into that cleaner, thanks. I am just a bit wary filling up at random places incase the waters not completely clean😅
Are you wild camping?
In UK, Scotland included, drinking water coming out of a tap is safe to drink. Non-drinking water supplies should be labelled accordingly as far as I am aware.
There are ways to purify water from natural sources that could be questionable in terms of microbial load, have a search via Google and see.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
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I'm in my campervan parking in spots that is on app. So far my trips have just been a week long so I've filled up my water and it's lasted a week. I haven't had to fill up anywhere other than home yet but just read that water is only safe from taps for 3 days and now I'm worried about drinking it after that😅
Quote: Originally posted by Hollyb96 on 30/7/2025
I'm in my campervan parking in spots that is on app. So far my trips have just been a week long so I've filled up my water and it's lasted a week. I haven't had to fill up anywhere other than home yet but just read that water is only safe from taps for 3 days and now I'm worried about drinking it after that😅
I personally would not drink water filled from a tap in UK and drink it after a few days without refrigeration. I don't even do that at home!
I would definitely boil the residual water after a few days before drinking.
Although the quality of the water from a tap in UK is safe to drink, it is by no means sterile.
As mentioned already, have a look at ways to make water safe to drink while on the move.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
We don't drink water from the caravan instead we fill a gallon water bottle at the site tap for drinking, the bottles that come with water from supermarkets.
Our water had the TCP/metallic taste when we bought the caravan and haven't drunk it since.
Quote: Originally posted by Paul_B on 01/8/2025
We don't drink water from the caravan instead we fill a gallon water bottle at the site tap for drinking, the bottles that come with water from supermarkets.
Our water had the TCP/metallic taste when we bought the caravan and haven't drunk it since.
i note that your in the yorkshire area, but i bet you took your caravan nearer to ripon/harrogate than say hornsea/ sheffield? that horrible tcp taste would happen every time we went to the ripon area, and then after draining down everything would return to normal once we left, its to do with yorkshire water (the company) rather than the actual water, the only time we ever buy water for drinking.
i bet if you tried putting your household water thr the caravan now, you wouldnt get that awful taste again, try it, you could be able to save a fortune on buying drinking water.
Same in that I don't drink the water from the fresh water tank in my van as it has a smell and taste that I am not keen on.
I fill up the 1L bottle and a 1L plastic bottle from the taps when I am on a campsite.
There is also a 1L glass jug that I fill up from home before I leave and keep in the fridge in case I fancy some cold water. It gets topped up as and when required, either freshly boiled and cooled water from the kettle, or from the fresh water tap at a campsite.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Ok, so I should avoid drinking tap water after 3 days unless I put something in it to make sure it’s drinkable? So far I’ve not really been anywhere that have places to fill up with drinking water so which is why I was thinking of buying bottled water to store until I need it
Quote: Originally posted by Hollyb96 on 02/8/2025
Ok, so I should avoid drinking tap water after 3 days unless I put something in it to make sure it’s drinkable? So far I’ve not really been anywhere that have places to fill up with drinking water so which is why I was thinking of buying bottled water to store until I need it
ignore all this scaremongering! the water in the uk is more than up to job for drinking! yeah simple rules dont drink dirty water i.e green/brown, but anything from a tap is perfectly fine to drink, yes you can take a few precautions such as using puriclen in your tank a couple of times a year, which is what its designed for, any more than that is simply overkill. just where do you think the bottled water comes from? a TAP! yes its been filtered but that is about all that happens to it, so no point buying in bottled water to store when water from the tap is readily available and fresher.
regarding your been anywhere yet to fill up with drinking water, so you dont get fuel for your vehicle? well they have water taps available at fuel stations too you know, ok make sure the tap is clean, a quick wipe down with a cloth and then fill that up there. in fact its a good idea not to travel with a full tank of water as that is just added weight and in an accident it can cause more problems than you need with stability etc sorry but you do seem to have over thought about all of this and its meant to be a fun time but for you seems to giving you anxiety
Quote: Originally posted by Paul_B on 01/8/2025
We don't drink water from the caravan instead we fill a gallon water bottle at the site tap for drinking, the bottles that come with water from supermarkets.
Our water had the TCP/metallic taste when we bought the caravan and haven't drunk it since.
i note that your in the yorkshire area, but i bet you took your caravan nearer to ripon/harrogate than say hornsea/ sheffield? that horrible tcp taste would happen every time we went to the ripon area, and then after draining down everything would return to normal once we left, its to do with yorkshire water (the company) rather than the actual water, the only time we ever buy water for drinking.
i bet if you tried putting your household water thr the caravan now, you wouldnt get that awful taste again, try it, you could be able to save a fortune on buying drinking water.
We prefer the dales, moors and the seaside, were not fans of Sheffield or the peaks due to the roads, its ok when we're just in the car. One of our regular short stay spots during the summer is the Seaside holiday park Ulrome, but not during school holidays. Everywhere on the east coast is nice apart from brid.
The TCP taste is due to chlorine reacting with the plasticisers in the pipework, I would imagine the taste has gone by now but we still fill bottles from the site tape by force of habit, plus filling small bottles and keeping them in the fridge is handy for cold drinks.
Its cheaper buying water bottles from the supermarket and refilling them at the site tap than buying water carriers from the caravan shop. 🙂
Please note I did not say don't drink water from a fresh water tap in UK - I do all the time and it is one of the joys of coming home after a trip abroad!
What I am saying is that, I would not drink water out of a tap in UK after it has been left standing for a few days at ambient temperature.
I don't do this at home, not just when I go camping.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 05/8/2025
Please note I did not say don't drink water from a fresh water tap in UK - I do all the time and it is one of the joys of coming home after a trip abroad!
What I am saying is that, I would not drink water out of a tap in UK after it has been left standing for a few days at ambient temperature.
I don't do this at home, not just when I go camping.
DK
Ah ok, the water has been in the container sealed so I thought it may be ok after a few days but I won’t risk it. I’m new to having a campervan so just trying to work out what works best for me. I’ll need to start filling it up on the road and just not worry about it like I have been. Thanks for your help!😊
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Topic: Drinking water
via mobile 29/7/2025 at 1:20pm
