Water
Here you will learn everything you need to know about a complete water system aboard a campervan. This includes all key system components, how to manage wastewater, and our top pick on the best components for your campervan water system.
Having water aboard your campervan is an essential addition that makes travelling in a campervan an enjoyable experience.
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Whether you need water for drinking, cooking, or for taking a shower, having a steady supply of fresh water is an excellent addition to any campervan conversion.
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The water system found aboard a typical campervan is split into three categories.
Those systems are:
Freshwater System: This system stores and distributes clean, potable water for various purposes such as drinking, cooking, washing dishes, and personal hygiene. It typically includes a freshwater tank, water pump, faucet, and plumbing lines to deliver water to the desired fixtures and appliances inside the campervan.
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Greywater System: The greywater system collects wastewater from sinks, showers, and appliances that do not contain human waste. This water is considered "grey" due to its relatively clean nature compared to blackwater. The greywater is stored temporarily in a separate tank or container before being disposed of responsibly at designated dump stations or facilities.
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Blackwater System: The blackwater system handles the disposal of human waste from the campervan's toilet. It includes a separate holding tank for storing blackwater until it can be emptied at appropriate sewage disposal sites or sanitation facilities. Some campervans may feature portable or cassette-style toilets with removable tanks for easier disposal of blackwater.
What Is A Blue Water System?
A Blue Water system aboard a campervan is classified as the fresh water system. This is generally for the water you’ll use for most scenarios in your campervan. Water used for drinking, cooking, washing pots, and taking a shower is supplied from the blue water system.
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Blue Water System Components
As your blue water system handles water that will be used for human consumption, all blue water components should be constructed out of food-safe materials. Below, we have broken a blue water system into the four main categories.
1. Water Storage
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The first part of a blue water system is water storage. Having an efficient water system onboard your campervan will obviously require a practical way to store the water.
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Water Tank Configurations:
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Detachable Fresh Water Tank
The most basic water storage solution in a campervan is a detachable fresh water tank. A detachable fresh water tank comes in a range of sizes and is generally stored inside your campervan. Small in size, they’re a quick and easy low-cost solution for storing water aboard your campervan while travelling.
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A detachable water tank system is a brilliant way of storing water aboard your campervan if you only plan on using a minimal amount of water while travelling. Having to frequently stop and search for a tap just to refill your water tanks can soon become tedious. Having said that, a detachable fresh water tank is still an excellent, cost-effective water storage solution.
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Fixed Fresh Water Tank
As the name suggests, a fixed tank is securely attached to your vehicle. It can be installed both internally and/or externally to your campervan. A fixed water tank is going to offer you the highest capacity for storing water in a campervan.
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We feel that the best solution for storing your fresh water aboard your campervan is with a fixed tank over a detachable one. Having the option to store a large volume of water while on the road is invaluable – especially if you like to take a shower more frequently.
2. Water Pump
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Once you have a practical way of storing fresh water aboard your campervan, you’ll now need a method of getting that water back out of your tanks when required. To do this, you’ll require a water pump.
In nearly all conventional campervan conversion, there are three different methods on how to pump fresh water around your system.
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Manual Water Pump
The simplest method to move water through your system is via a manual water pump. The most popular models have a plunger built directly into the tap. Simply pump up and down to commence water flow.
If you’re after the most straightforward campervan water pumping solution, then this is your option. This might be useful for people who only require their campervan water supply on rare occasions
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Submersible Water Pump
As the name indicates, a submersible pump is submerged inside your freshwater tank to provide a steady supply of water. The pump is operated via an external 12-volt power supply that connects to an external switch. Typically, you would position the switch close to the water outlet.
However, the most common operation method is via a specially developed tap with an integrated micro-switch. When the tap is opened, the switch activates the submersible water pump which will now begin to pump your water. To stop the pump, simply shut off the tap.
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External Pressure Sensitive Water Pump
A pressure-sensitive pump is a water pump with an integral pressure switch. When you first activate the device, the pump will slightly pressurise the whole freshwater system.
Once an outlet is opened in the system, the pressure switch built into the device will detect the drop in pressure and instantly activate the water pump. Once you close the outlet, the pressure switch will detect pressure returning to normal and will shut off the pump.
3. Water Heaters
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So now you have a way to store and pump water around your campervan, next on the list is usually adding a system to heat your water. Whether you need hot water for washing up dirty dishes, or for taking a hot shower, installing an efficient system to heat up your water is a little luxury worth having.
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Tankless Water Heater (LPG)
The first option to heat water in a campervan is a relative newcomer to the campervan conversion market.
Very similar to a gas boiler you would typically find inside a home, an LPG tankless water heater gives you on-demand hot water via an internal gas burner connected to a heat exchange system. Extremely safe, relatively inexpensive, and compact enough not to take up much room inside your campervan, an LPG water heater is an excellent way of creating that all-important hot water.
The only issue you may have with an LPG water heater is that this system requires the use of natural gas.
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Water Boiler (Gas/Electric/Dual-Fuel)
Available in either gas or electric-only variants, as well as a dual-fuel model (a combination of both gas and mains power), a water boiler is a device that efficiently heats your campervan water.
Depending on the model you choose, located inside the unit is either a powerful gas burner, an electrical heating element, or both.
Individually, each heating element increases the temperature of the water inside the internal tank, ready for when required.
4. Additional Blue Water Parts
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Surge Damper
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Inline Contaminants Filter
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Pipes And Fittings
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Water Inlet
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Grey And Black Water System (Wastewater)
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Every blue water system aboard a campervan is no doubt, going to produce wastewater.
Wastewater is going to be produced every time you do the washing up, take a long hot shower, or use the toilet.
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You’ll need the correct systems in place to manage all wastewater you create so you can store then eject it from your campervan using the correct procedure.
Wastewater systems fitted to a campervan are split into two individual systems.
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What Is A Grey Water System?
A grey water system is a network of waste pipes running through your campervan, along with a holding tank located on the underside of your campervan.
Its sole responsibility is for the handling of polluted water which has not come into ​contact with urine and ​faecal matter.
How Is Grey Water Produced?
Grey water is wastewater that is produced when taking a shower or washing dirty dishes.
Do I Need A Grey Water System?
If you plan to install a blue water system aboard your campervan for the sole purpose of drinking the water, you’ll more than likely not require a grey water system.
If you plan to use your blue water for additional washing (taking a shower, washing dirty dishes), then you’ll undoubtedly produce wastewater.
You’ll then have to install a grey water system to collect all wastewater until you can eject it correctly from your vehicle.
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What Is A Black Water System?
A black water system is a network of waste pipes – along with a holding tank, located in a campervan.
Its sole responsibility is for the safe handling of polluted water which has come into contact with urine and faecal matter.
How Is Black Water Produced?
Black water is wastewater produced after the use of a toilet.
Do I Need A Black Water System?
You’ll only need to install a black water system if you plan to install a lavatory system that requires a separate black water storage system.
Many portable toilet models come with an independent blue and black water systems built directly into the toilet itself.
Waste System Components
As grey and black water systems both handle wastewater, they use the same type of components.
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