CG water etiquette?

[Iraqvet05]

The DW and I are planning a 9 day family excursion this summer to a few state CGs in central and southern Missouri that have electric only sites. We have always relied on sites with city water when camping but I tested the FW tank and pump and know the system is in working order. A co-worker suggested I pick sites that are close to a spigot, connect a splitter to the spigot and run extra hoses to my TT's city connection. Is this practice frowned upon or even permitted at some CGs?

[eldermike]

I see it done all the time but most often they connect using a T or Y fitting with a shutoff so that is someone needs water they can do so without unhooking you. I always use my tank and pump and just fill up when I need water.

[Jeff61]

You wouldn't get away with it in Illinois state parks. If they are electric only sites, they are electric only. Here the site techs will call you on it. You might run the hose, fill your tank and disconnect. Or might I suggest, stop, fill tank and occupy site

[Tunce the traveler]

I would not attempt it, you could end up with 2 flat tires and a cut up hose. As you already know it's a good idea not to leave anything of value left out overnight and you always lock your car and you've done nothing wrong.

[eldermike]

I also think it's bad form to do so but in the south we just mind our own business as long as we have access to water. I have removed a hose and added a Y so I could fill my tank but since I am camping and in a camping mood (happy not to be working) I didn't say anything to the person that was hooked to the spigot.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Jeff61

You wouldn't get away with it in Illinois state parks. If they are electric only sites, they are electric only. Here the site techs will call you on it. You might run the hose, fill your tank and disconnect. Or might I suggest, stop, fill tank and occupy site

X2 and I've been to parks that have removed the threaded fitting except at the "official" tank fill stations.

[Flyrotor]

Personally I think it's ok to refill your fresh tank, but I think it is inconsiderate to stay hooked up regardless of using a Y or Tee.

[sailor]

You could run a hose temporarily to fill your tank. Most places don't allow you to stay hooked to a community water spigot. I do carry one or two six gallon jugs if needed. With our current unit we can last several days with the onboard fresh water. Your other issue is emptying the waste water holding tanks. You may need to make a trip(s) to the dump site with the trailer or with a portable tank.

[kvangil]

To hook up a hose and refill, then disconnect, is fine. To stay hooked up to the spigot is against the campground rules in some areas.

[Jagiven]

Depends on the state and the campground. Here in Minnesota very few campsites are setup to have a reasonable length of hose to get to a hose to a spigot. Some are, and then you need a long hose, a wye.

What I do, is plan to fill as I pull in, sometimes this is at a fill station near or at the dump station, or a spigot alongside the camp road, for example near the bathhouse. I also carry a 5 gallon water jug, and a “water bandit”. The water bandit is designed to fit on spigots that do not have threads, or very poor threads, and then you can hook a hose to it.

Call the CGs that you plan on visiting and ask about water filling.

[Russ661]

Bad form IMO and a sure way to piss off the neighbors!

[33 RLDS]

What I hate even more is when people wash dishes at the community water spigot and leave a mess all around it even though they have dish washing stations at the side of the bathrooms..

[3'senough]

Originally Posted by Flyrotor

Personally I think it's ok to refill your fresh tank, but I think it is inconsiderate to stay hooked up regardless of using a Y or Tee.

+1...NYS parks do not allow for permanent hook up when not on site, but usually we have a block fill party when someone breaks out the hoses. I have been over 200 feet from the spigot and when one guy breaks out his we usually share it and top off. Makes for good time to meet your neighbors.

I carry 150 with me and a bladder too.

Another handy tool is a water bandit for some of the broken spigots.

[Redhorse 823]

Never gave it much thought--guess because the sites I use all have water at each site
If I did come across this situation, don't think I would hook to it

[HennaOjisan]

Originally Posted by 3'senough

Another handy tool is a water bandit for some of the broken spigots.

In a lot of the CA campgrounds I've been they don't have the traditional hose hookup so this is a must, the other gotcha to eliminate extra water usage at the parks was to put valves in the supply that open only when you are holding it and it springs shut when you release it. Have to stand there for a while to fill up but not a biggie.

Most of the campgrounds we've visited also don't have sites with that many spigots so we call ahead before going to see what the water situation is like..

[Camping Couple]

Besides being inconsiderate, what if you or the DW are in the shower and an angry camper disconnects your hose, nothing like having a head full of shampoo when that happens.

[dewey02]

Having been a manager of public land campgrounds, I can say without hesitation that hooking up permanently is bad form, and you may even get fined for doing so. But I think everyone here already knows this is not an acceptable practice. Those spigots in state campgrounds are for everyone's use. You are not a gold miner staking your claim on a limited resource.


There is a designated place that most campgrounds have for filling with fresh water.
Most campgrounds have a fresh water fill that is about 50 to 75 feet from the dump station. The spigot is clearly marked potable water and should not be confused with the spigot right at the dump station sewer, which is for washing your slinky and hooking to your BW tank rinser.

Probably not a bad idea to carry a small spray bottle of bleach to spray the potable water spigot before you hook up to it. You never know the practices of the previous person who hooked up to that spigot.

[Iraqvet05]

Thank you all for the responses. I picked up a water bandit a while back but I'll add a 5 gal water jug and some extra hose to my shopping list. The 26BH has a pretty sizable FW tank but I have no idea how much water a family of 4 can go thru in a few days.

[3'senough]

Originally Posted by Iraqvet05

Thank you all for the responses. I picked up a water bandit a while back but I'll add a 5 gal water jug and some extra hose to my shopping list. The 26BH has a pretty sizable FW tank but I have no idea how much water a family of 4 can go thru in a few days.

Also remember, more in = more out and you will require more trips to the dump station. Use the outdoor shower and facilities as much as possible. Sink washing stations too help. My worst contributer is the kitchen sink with washing pots and pans when no washing station is available.

[Seann45]

As a campground host I can tell you that most parks that do not have threaded taps have a limited water supply and using a water bandit robs others of water..