Campervan Water Systems: Sanitising, Winterising and Fixing Leaks

The fresh water system looks simple — a tank, a pump and some taps — but it's where many campervans cause their owners the most frustration. Stagnant water breeds bacteria and tastes awful, frozen water splits fittings, and a slow leak can quietly rot a floor. A little routine care keeps it all working.

Sanitising the system

If the van has been stored or you've just bought it, sanitise before you drink from it. A UK clean takes about an hour:

1. Drain the tank and pipes completely.
2. Fill the tank with water and a campervan sanitising solution — Puriclean or a diluted Milton-style steriliser, following the dose on the pack.
3. Run each tap and the shower until the solution comes through, then leave it for the recommended time.
4. Drain, refill with fresh water and flush every outlet twice.

Do this every two to three months during heavy use, and always after winter storage. A tube of Puriclean costs about £10 and lasts for several cleans.

Winterising

Before the first frost, drain the entire system — tank, boiler, water heater and every tap — and open the low-point drain under the floor. Pour campervan-safe antifreeze into the sink and toilet traps so the U-bends can't freeze. Our full winterising guide runs through the whole job.

Finding a leak

Classic symptoms: the pump runs more often than it should, or runs briefly after you've closed a tap. Wet floor coverings, a damp smell or swelling panels are the tell-tale signs. To find the source:

• Listen for the pump cycling and follow the noise.
• Feel along the pipework for dampness, especially at push-fit joints and the pump connections.
• Check the area under the tank and around the shower tray drain.
• Use a torch in the lockers — a tiny drip often shows as a damp patch on the base.

Fixing a leak

Most leaks are at joints rather than in the pipe itself. Tighten a jubilee clip, or cut out a damaged section and join the new piece with a compression or push-fit connector. If a hose has split, replace it in full — a patch on a pressurised line rarely lasts.

Tip: carry a spare 3-4 metre length of water hose and a few connectors; they weigh next to nothing and fix most breakdowns at a campsite.

A clean, leak-free water system is a strong selling point, which is why well-kept vans show it in their listing photos. Browse motorhomes for sale to see the standard maintained vans are presented to.