Writer: Helena Bergström
Updated: October 2026 | How do you fill up your camper with water? Do you use a hose or a jug? We think it's incredibly convenient to use a hose. This way you can quickly fill the entire water tank and avoid running back and forth with water jugs. Here we share our best tips for filling up your camper with water!
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Own hose and multiple nozzles
We always carry our own water hose and several different nozzles and connectors with us. Having our own hose is primarily a hygiene issue. At campsites and motorhome sites, there are sometimes hoses to borrow, but how do you know what others have used them for? We don't want to risk getting contaminants into the camper's fresh water tank.
We therefore keep our water hose separate from equipment used for toilets and drains. It is also important to keep the ends and connections of the hose clean.
Having several different nozzles is practical because the water taps can look very different, especially when traveling in Europe. With a few different connectors, we can usually connect the hose to most taps. The nozzles are neither large, expensive nor heavy, so they are easy to take with you in the camper.
Filling up water in the camper - where can you do it?
In Sweden, you can often refill your water tank at campsites and motorhome sites, and sometimes also at gas stations and special service stations for motorhomes. Abroad, the possibilities vary between different countries, but campsites and motorhome sites are often good options.
It is important to check that the water is indeed intended for drinking. Not all water taps are suitable for filling the motorhome's fresh water tank, even if a hose can be connected.
If there is no suitable tap nearby, you can of course use a clean watering can. It takes a little longer, but works well when you only need to fill a small amount.
READ MORE: Smart solutions in your motorhome - 11 practical tips
Consider hygiene when filling water
To keep fresh water as clean as possible, we usually keep a few simple things in mind:
- Use your own hose intended for drinking water.
- Check that the water tap is intended for drinking water.
- Keep the ends and connectors of the hose clean and avoid laying them on the ground.
- Do not use the same hose or jug for fresh water and toilet flushing.
- Empty the hose after use and let it dry before packing it away.
These aren't particularly advanced routines, but they make filling the water tank both easier and more hygienic. And with our own hose and a few different connectors, we're almost always ready when it's time to refill the tank!
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Kersti says:
hello
How nice to read about you today in Caravan and Camping.
Very nice report. And yes... we fill water with hose
Take care
22 April 2010 - 20:15
admin says:
Wow, has it arrived already? Good to hear! We haven't seen the report ourselves yet....
If you subscribe, you get the magazine a little earlier, I don't think it's in the shops yet...
22 April 2010 - 20:23
Ninni says:
Nowadays there is a hose and nozzle in Rulla-Bärra - as we learnt in Germany that you should have your own hose.
It's a bit of a hassle to fill with a jug, I think. Bring on the hose! ;-))
23 April 2010 - 6:22
Ama de casa says:
Can? Are there people who fill up like that? Seems extremely complicated...
I get water in a water bottle - there's no tank in the tent 😉.
23 April 2010 - 19:26
admin says:
Ama de casa, haha, well, pointing a water hose straight into the tent is probably NOT a good idea....
23 April 2010 - 21:08
Nils-Åke says:
Yes, the hose has become longer and longer every year. And a whole set of connectors.
I remember in Mora a few years ago, there were Dutch people refuelling water from a toilet bowl.
He looked like he had taken a shower when he finished and no one could enter that space for a long time.
You gain experience and an eye for where you can refuel water. I always start my journey by refuelling at home. I am very careful to stay away from toilets.
26 April 2010 - 11:19
admin says:
Nils-Åke, yes, you do acquire some practical equipment over the years... Funny story with the Dutchman!
We would also like to fill up with water at home before we leave, but that's not possible when you live in an apartment and have your motorhome in a car park in another municipality... However, we usually try to start by filling up with water at a petrol station.
26 April 2010 - 19:01