Water and things when traveling outback

Mackayak · Veteran Member

Water and things when traveling outback

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The emergency channel on UHF is #5. It is not permitted to use it for any other purpose.
If no one hears your call, scan for others on other channels and call them.
"Mayday" repeated 3 times means we are at risk of death.
"Pan" repeated 3 times means we have an emergency that is not life threatening.

UHF is not a reliable emergency communication method. You should seriously consider a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). They cost about $250 and last 7-10 years. They will send your position to emergency services by satelite and help will be sent by the fastest available means. They are not to be used for non serious reasons. The service is free. They need to be registered. Small enough to carry on your belt when walking.
Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Thursday 25th of March 2021 01:44:25 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

We are each down to 2.5 litres a day.

We rinse our muesli bowl with some of our tea & then drink that. Poor a bit of water into a cup to clean teeth. Drip water out of a SIGG bottle to wash hands.

Wasting water:

If need be we can wash the car with air first, 3 air compressors, then air with water at 0.5 litres per minute. It works brilliantly. 5 litres or water is more than enough to do the car thoroughly.

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bgt · Guru

Save dish water in a milk bottle/container and use that water to flush the toilet.

Are We Lost · Guru

Wow. 2.5L each per day is frugal.

I note the OP's van is fairly large and no doubt has a shower. If you use a solar shower two can easily shower using one 5L bag and still have plenty left over. As noted by Whenarewethere, use a cup when brushing teeth. When feasible, use containers to dispense water rather than straight from the tap, with the excess going down the drain.

Don't stack plates when washing up so the underside does not get dirty. Use damp paper towell to wipe things first. Then trickle water on them to wash and rinse.

When cooking, vegetables are better steamed with a couple of tablespoons of water rather than boiled.

Whenarewethere · Guru

When you can see your water reserve you are more careful. We can only carry up to about 60 litres easily. After that it is a ever increasing juggling act.

Mackayak · Veteran Member

Thanks Peter

Good advice on UHF. I do have a PLB and wood use it in a life threating situation.

Mackayak

Tony Bev · Guru

To me, the biggest use of water, is the shower, if I was to start daydreaming/singing in the shower

I wet myself down, (with the hand held shower head), turn water off, use flannel and shower gel, then rinse off with water

I calculate about 6 litres of water used for a shower

The second biggest use of water is washing the dishes

I have accidentally dislodged the plug, in the sink on more than one occasion

When I know I have to save water, I will do the dishes in a plastic bowl, inside the sink

msg · Guru

I know It's not PC so don't attack.

When you are out bush and there is no water for miles, you need to use a little as possible. I just doesn't do to get low on water.

I use paper cups and plates and any thing else I can substitute.

I load up with bottled water and this is strictly for drinking.

Anything that requires washing up is wiped as clean as possible with paper towels, then a small amount of detergent and rinsed.

Wet Ones also help stave off the showers a bit.

The paper plates etc are bagged in garbage bags and brought out.

Derek Barnes · Senior Member

When doing the dish washing we always use paper towels to wipe plates and pans before washing (We also use rolls of paper towel to pack cupboards so nothing rattles in the cupboards when moving the caravan). We then wash the plates pans, etc., using a bowl of water in the sink, so as to use as little water as possible. When showering we wet down using the hand shower head, turn off the water and soap up using an open plastic mesh washer (we find a flannel or normal cloth washer does not foam up enough), then rinse off using the hand held shower head. We can use as little as 5 litres per shower. Also remember to stop any water leaks around the caravan. We found that our external connector for the hot water line for the outdoor kitchen was leaking in our new caravan!

Bobdown · Guru

What's with you guys, chop down a 1000 trees to save a litre or two of water, a bit of paper towel to clean the bbq is ok but a reuseable chux is less hassle.

The OP has 220 lts of water, that should last a week easily if camped in one spot and a run to get another 40 lts is no big deal.

2.5 lts a day, why would you need a grey water tank in your van? Why go without a few comforts for the sake of a few extra kilos of water, we all not getting any younger.

Cheers Bob

msg · Guru

Bobdown, for me a :"run" is and hour to the main road over very rough bush, where many things could happen. Then it is 200k's to the nearest available water. In 40c heat with lots of roos and idiot emus only too happy to run into you, you don't want to be stuck for very long low on water. I get 2weeks from 80ltrs + drinking water.

Bobdown · Guru

msg wrote:
Bobdown, for me a :"run" is and hour to the main road over very rough bush, where many things could happen. Then it is 200k's to the nearest available water. In 40c heat with lots of roos and idiot emus only too happy to run into you, you don't want to be stuck for very long low on water. I get 2weeks from 80ltrs + drinking water.

I wasn't referring to you personally msg, but you must be at the 'back of the black stump', hiding from the law maybe, it's a wonder you have internet.......lol blankstare

The OP has plenty of water for a week if they just cruising along, me I like a long shower but only drink the water in my coffee, we have 300 lt plus a 20 lt jerry can, lasts about 10 days.

Cheers Bob

Save the trees !!!!

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I find the plastic plates very easy to clean . If we are on water conservation ? We wipe with paper towel as said Then wipe with hygiene type towel to dry . Using almost no water . The BBQ just gets a wipe down also till we have an abundance of water ! Wet face cloth in shower . Wash cloth big time between uses ! We purchase seperate drinking water from grocery chain . Seperate water, oil and fuel for vehicle emergencies!!

msg · Guru

Bobdown. I don't have internet when I am out there. Its usually an eight week stint over winter. I can manage for that time.

AusKiwi: "wet face cloth in shower" Wash cloth big time between uses." Seems like the cloth sees a lot more water than you do.
"Plastic Plates easy to clean. Wipe with hygiene type towel to dry. " Be careful. Those towels have chemicals. Personally, I wouldn't use them unless the plates were rinsed thoroughly with water afterwards.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Ok for babies bums . Its not along term
Thing .Besides we have using similar going shopping etc . I dont have issues with washing or showering ! Its the only way to save water ! When you have too ! Pilliga pools, Burren junction NSW or Mataranka are top swimming spots some south WA I cant remember ?

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We budget our water usage based on where and when we expect to get some more. We happily pick up water form almost any source and treat it for drinking or washing.
We wash the dishes in the sink and have a "proper" hot shower somewhere between every day and every 4 or 5 days.
Our 110L of drinking water is in separate tanks (2 for security) from our 170L of washing water (which I am currently increasing to 210L, also in 2 tanks).
We can comfortably make that last a month.
If you enjoy remote locations, water is the single most important commodity determining the duration and comfort of the stay,
Cheers,
Peter

markf · Senior Member

When we did our bicycle trip across the Gunbarrel Highway we allowed three litres / day each for everything which in July and August was adequate - just. In the warmer/hotter months water usage rises a LOT. In the outback water is a valuable resource to be managed carefully.

These days, with the camper, we never waste an opportunity to refill with water so that we always have plenty. This strategy came in handy in 2017 when our water tank split on the Old Strezlecki Track and we watched about 80 or 90 litres of water soak into the red dirt. We still had about 30 litres in containers to last us about three or four days so it was all good.

How to manage your water resource ? For washing we make use of the dreaded nappy/baby wipes and for the rest we make good and sure that any water that we use is well and truly used before it's thrown out. We drink between one and two litres / day each so our all up total works out to a bit less than four litres / day each if we need to be careful.

We have a 100 litre tank and 30 litres in containers in the car which gives us about a week and a half to two weeks before we start thinking about getting more.

-- Edited by markf on Sunday 28th of March 2021 12:09:51 PM

Mackayak · Veteran Member

Thanks all looking forward to the trip.