Not every campervan needs a large water system.
Some people travel happily with a simple water canister and a small pump. Others want pressurised water, a hot shower and enough capacity to stay off-grid for days.
Neither option is right or wrong. The best system depends on how you travel. Water takes up space, adds weight and every extra component makes the system more complex.
On this page, we look at three common types of campervan water systems and explain who each one is best suited for.
Most campervans fall into one of these three categories, or somewhere in between.
A fresh water canister, a small submersible pump and a second container for grey water. Nothing is permanently installed in the van.
It is affordable, lightweight, easy to repair and simple to remove for winter storage. For weekend trips and shorter adventures, it is a practical solution rather than a compromise.
Fresh and grey water tanks, a pressure pump, a water heater and a proper sink. Just open the tap and the water flows, just like at home.
This is the most popular choice for campervans. It takes more planning, from tank locations to filling, drainage and pipe routing, but the result is a far more comfortable van for longer trips.
Larger water tanks, a shower, a toilet, water filtration and enough hot water for everyday use. The water heating is often combined with the campervan heating system, so one unit provides both cabin heating and hot water.
This type of system is designed for long journeys and full-time travel. Because many components are hidden behind the walls and furniture, it needs to be planned from the very beginning of the build.
Many people are unsure whether they really need a shower in their campervan.
Our experience is that it is one of those things people appreciate more after they start travelling.
When you live off-grid for days, being able to take a proper shower is something you appreciate far more than you expected.
After hiking, cycling, working outside or simply spending a full day on the road, having your own hot shower changes the feeling of travelling. The van starts to feel less like a vehicle and more like a small home.
A shower has a bigger impact on the build than many people realise. It requires space, water capacity, hot water, drainage and ventilation. If you think you might want one, it is worth planning from the very beginning.
Four questions usually define the right system before we talk about components.
How many days between refills
A van that reaches a campsite every second day and a van that stays in the mountains for a week need completely different water capacity.
Shower or no shower
This is often the biggest decision point. A shower affects tank sizes, hot water, heating, layout, ventilation and drainage all at the same time.
How many people use the van
Water consumption changes quickly with more people. It is not only drinking water: cooking, washing dishes and everyday use all add up.
Winter or not
Year-round travel changes the requirements completely. Tank placement, pipe routing, insulation and drainage all need to be planned so the system can handle freezing temperatures.
Freezing temperatures are what separate a summer water system from a true year-round one. Water expands when it freezes, and it will always find the weakest point in the system.
The first parts to freeze are usually not the tanks. It is the exposed pipe runs, the pump, the filler neck and the drain valve. A large volume of water holds temperature much longer than a small pipe or fitting.
This is why we usually prefer tanks installed inside the insulated living space rather than underneath the van. Underslung tanks are easier to install and save interior space, but in northern winters they are often the first part of the system to become a problem.
The other approach is a system designed to be fully drained within minutes, allowing the van to be left cold without risk of damage.
The right solution depends on how you use the van: regular winter travel, occasional cold trips or mainly three-season use.
Grey water is the part nobody thinks about at the start and everybody deals with later. Every litre of water that goes into the van has to go somewhere, and in many places it cannot simply be emptied onto the ground.
Tank size is only part of the solution. Access matters just as much. A grey tank that is difficult to empty or clean quickly becomes a daily frustration, so we plan the drain point and maintenance access before deciding where the tank goes.
Toilets are a personal choice more than a technical one. Cassette, composting and portable systems all work, but they suit different ways of travelling and each comes with its own routine.
We help you choose a solution that fits how you actually use the van.
For two people without a shower, around ten to fifteen litres per day usually covers drinking, cooking and washing up. With a shower, consumption increases significantly.
Instead of choosing a tank size first, it is better to decide how many days you want to travel between refills and calculate backwards from there.
For weekend trips and shorter journeys, yes. It is lightweight, affordable, easy to repair and simple to remove for winter storage.
The limitations appear when you travel longer, add a shower or want a more home-like experience. That is when a fixed water system starts to make more sense.
Yes, with the right design.
The pipes, pump and drain valves usually freeze before the tanks do, so these parts need to be inside the insulated space or designed to be drained quickly.
This is one of the main reasons we usually place tanks inside the vehicle rather than underneath.
A shower is one of the biggest decisions in a campervan layout.
It affects tank sizes, hot water, drainage, ventilation and available space, so it is something that should be discussed at the beginning of a build rather than added at the end.
Grey water is collected in a dedicated tank and emptied at suitable disposal points.
Emptying it directly onto the ground is not allowed in many areas and can quickly create problems for responsible campervan travel.
The practical part is access: a tank that is difficult to empty or clean becomes a problem very quickly.
Many people do, and the basic principles are within reach of a careful DIY builder.
The parts that usually cause problems are the things you cannot easily change later: pipe routing, service access, drainage slopes and freeze protection.
If you are building yourself, this is one of the topics worth planning before buying equipment.
Water is one of those things that is much easier to plan at the beginning than to change later.
Tell us how you travel, whether a shower matters and how long you want to go between refills. We will help you choose a system that actually fits your van and your way of travelling.