filling water tanks on the road - ettiquite?

Hi Kelly,

You need to keep your eyes open especially outback and top up whenever there is an opportunity todo so. Also depends on the quantity and quality that you want. We usually ask at servos and have never had a knockback. Tourist I places often have a tap (some like at Katherine require a refundable deposit) or can tell you where to find one. Sometimes there is a park in a town, but check that you aren't getting recycled water, ditto with public toilets where there is sometimes a tap.

Some of the free camps have water too - check in one of the free camps books.

FWIW in all our travels, when we bush camp whenever we can we have never run out of water.

Cheers,

Val

it,s always good to ask first.

I always ask and offer to pay have never been knocked back and only had to pay once out west at a servo (they were trucking drinking water in as their tanks had run dry $2.00 was cheap as we were low- only took 50 lt)
Other places to check -Tourist info ctrs, local council depot, country police station - good for local info,I have even stopped and asked a guy watering his front lawn if he could spare a 20 lt jerry full got some local knowledge on where to go and what to see
I never fill from the tanks at free camps take only what i use while there because that's what it is there for
Be careful with random taps in parks and toilet blocks because it could be untreated or even worse treated effluent recycled from their sewer plant unless its signed potable best left alone
Cheers Kev

Hi Kelly

As aforesaid servos are a good opportunity. We need fuel more often than water, and if needing water, i ask if we can top up our tanks before deciding to purchase fuel there (if there are other servos in town). Usually they are happy to oblige, but knock backs can be due to not having a suitable tap or having it in the driveway where stopping to fill would block the flow of traffic to the bowsers.

Some Visitor Information Centres have water with easy access - fee or free. If not, ask and they will direct you to a water source if there is one available. Some Shires also have water for a fee, but this may be from a stand pipe so unsuitable for filling tanks. As also said, water in parks may not be potable so be sure to find out first (from Visitor Centre or Shire). Be prepared to pay a fee in some areas.

We can manage on minimal water when in a tight situation, and still go to bed freshly washed each night. We also carry a jerry can of drinking quality water in the tow vehicle for emergencies.

If drawing water from a lake or river, we choose not to put this in our tanks, but use it direct from a bucket so our on board quality water lasts longer. Some people have good filters and pumps so use these sources.

As above and more at Collecting Water and Emergency Survival Water

Motherhen

Hi Kelly

I hope you haven't been put off by the side swipes here about 'stealing water', while everyone is saying ask first. No doubt like everywhere in society there are people who will sneak in a use water without asking, as they may do with other things too. The general advice stands - most of us do not have problems getting water when out and about.

We did have concerns when coming out of the Northern Territory and into the northern Queensland Artesian water area, where the deep artesian water smells like rotten eggs, despite time in cooling tanks. We went to a CP in Mt Isa to spend a couple of days looking around, and found the town water not nice to drink (it failed my cup of tea test), so didn't put it in the tanks. Knowing what was ahead and our tanks already getting down i was concerned. However when we got to Boulia we found the bore water at the CP fresh and nice so filled up tanks and a few drinking water bottles. This lasted us some weeks, by supplementing it with water use direct from the bucket, all the way to Gloucester in NSW where i had been told the water was good. We were getting the caravan brakes adjusted and asked the mechanic about where we could fill as people had told us there was a park we could go to. He started thinking then said "What am i talking about - i have a tap here and you are welcome to fill up".

Also in small towns where the Shire runs the local caravan park, they usually allow water filling by non-guests either free or for a small fee. You may not know if you didn't ask.

Motherhen

You need to be a little careful when using "topless" taps in public places. Sometimes these type of taps are used just because they are using recycled water intended for irrigation only. Sometimes they are marked as such, but not necessarily - something you certainly don't want in your tanks!

Mark

Yep, always ask.
If you get knocked back, then offer to pay the 5.5cents it costs for 20litres of water, or better still offer twice the cost price!

Strewth...............

I logged on after a long time not visiting this site for obvious reasons.

After reading this thread I remembered why I stopped frequenting.

If this is the way you speak to eachother no wonder the country is getting so screwed up.

I thought my fellow travellers would at least have some respect for others.
Obviously not.

I''m pretty certain now, I won't be back.

Sorry to all of you who contibute so valuably and mostly I will miss more than anything is Doug T.........
You, dear man, are a legend and one a lot of people will remember and talk about for years to come.
I wish you well and hope to meet one day.

Brian N

I believe the forum throws up some great topics with great informative responses.

I don't agree with the way some members word their responses but it's interesting reading and I will keep reading.

I do wonder if any of the antagonists ever travel because I imagine they would be the recipient of a few broken noses if they speak that way face to face.

Regards

yes though its unusual to see Mr Alloy C/T posting twice. Often he posts accurate information, but usually worded in a somewhat confrontational manner-then doesnt return to follow it up.
Much like throwing a rock at a gate then running off when the dogs start barking.
In this case he has returned to "poke the hornets nest" again, a change of "modus operandi" for him/her.

Streaky Bay council wanted $20.00 for 50 to 100 litres.......as with most CT tanks water tends to dribble out when filling so we didn't fillup.............drove home with just a little left ......