water top-up on trip

If it's that remote you'll probably need fuel anyway, I'd ask the operator but I usually buy something and have a chat anyway, a bit of local knowledge goes al ong way.

Patrolman Pat

I generally run two lots of water.
Drinking and water for general use.
Fill up the drinking water in a town or caravan park/camp site when you find good water, and if I am paying for the night, feel it is OK to take 20 or 40 litres of water.

General water as long as it is reasonably clean, so any creek , bore is OK.

Usually carry 60 to 100 litres for the two of us, about 1/3 drinking. We can last a week on that no problems, so frequent stops not a problem. If we have been bush camping a few days, usually like a camping ground for a bit of comfort for a day or so anyway, so fill up then.

I purchased a reverse osmosis plant for around 300 bucks. It lets me put any water other than seawater through it to produce pure drinking water. I can pull up at a mill, dam, puddle, creek, whatever and top up. I run a 12V DC pump at 100 psi and it takes a couple of hours to fill the tank on the camper trailer (120 litres).

We usually have a cuppa and read or take photos or whatever while we wait. It's a Godsend. We are careful to take note of how much water is in the storage tank when we fill up at windmills....wouldn't want to anger the property owner.

As for your question, some caravan parks and roadhouses are now charging to fill tanks. Some roadhouses I've been to won't let you fill up at all. Water is too scarce.
It is good form to spend at least some money if you're going to take water as it costs them to produce it.

G'Day,

As mentioned above, best way is to try to separate drinking from washing water as much as possible.

Purchase 5 litre containers from a supermarket or local outlet, and leave the water in the tank for washing only.

Not only do you have a reliable drinking supply, but it makes it easier to judge when to fill to give you more options, and no great drama if the tank runs dry a day or so before getting to the next supply.

Regards

Rolande

Gday,
The help yourself way can sometimes lead to issuses at the wrong place.
Like you suggested buy something and ask and you will probably be alright.
If you cant carry enough ring ahead and ask to be safe.
If its a Pub go in have a couple of drinks and then ask.
Cheers

Re refilling, like everything its polite to ask. You'll usually get told whats good for drinking, and whats not.

We carry plenty, so we don't often refill outside town - 75litre undertray tank and usually 2-3 jerry cans. They are filled with good water at home. Then as the tank is used, we top it up with the good stuff from the jerries, and refill the jerries with the dodgy stuff. We continue using the tank stuff for drinking/cooking and the dodgy stuff in the jerries for washing.

Hi Hurkmagurk - how much water an you carry? We have plenty with the Bushtracker, and usually fill at servos, and on take water when buying a tank of fuel. I would not be offended at being asked to pay for water in very dry remote and areas - but we have not been to these areas yet. We sometimes fill at caravan parks, but not necessarily as in filling we are adding weight, so it depends where we are going.

Prior to the BT, we had 2 x 20 litre jerrycans - one for fresh water and one for everything else. We didn't go into the desert, and found we filled with fuel more often than water. Also some towns have a tap at their public toilet block.

Hurkmagurk,

I am not sure where you are planning to travel or even if you know.

Many towns in western NSW are now extremely low on drinking water. Many that have it have pretty poor quality coming out of the taps. It's drinkable but only just.

When in town ask around you will find a lot of places selling bottled water. Supermarkets are usually expensive but at least you can get it. I know in Broken Hill there is a sevo which runs a car wash The filtration system is RO and they sell drinking water. They also give free water with fuel purchases. It's good stuff and reasonably inexpensive. Perhaps other large towns have similar service providers. There is also a nurseryn in BH which supplies RO water.

Duncs

Good question!
IMHO, unless in a caravan park, water should never be taken without asking, in some areas it is an extremely precious commodity.
I guess none of us would like to find somebody filling jerries at our front taps.