3 Easy Ways We Filter Water in Our Camper (And Why We Skip Bottled Water)
Learn how we filter our camper water with a 3-step RV water filtration system—no bottled water needed! Featuring our favorite inline, drinking, and shower filters.
This post is part of my new Camping Hack and RV upgrades series, here’s other posts you may have missed:
- 5 reasons we picked the Forest River Sabre 33RLP
- 🧼 3 Easy Ways to Keep Your RV Camper Floors Clean (That Actually Work!)
Why Bottled Water Isn’t the Answer When Camping
When you’re heading out on an RV camping trip, staying hydrated and clean should be simple—but too often, that means hauling around cases of bottled water. Not only does that take up precious space in your rig, but it’s a huge source of plastic waste. Let’s be honest, no one wants to deal with overflowing recycling bins while trying to enjoy nature.
That’s why we stopped drinking bottled water years ago. Instead, we rely on a 3-part RV water filtration system that keeps our water clean, fresh, and safe—no matter where we’re parked. Whether we’re hooked up at a busy campground or boondocking off-grid, we always know we’re covered.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how we filter our water while camping—step by step. You’ll get our favorite product picks, why they work, and how to set them up for your own RV adventures.
1. Inline Water Filter for the RV Hose
Our first line of defense is an inline water filter that attaches directly to the RV hose. We use the Camco TastePURE inline water filter* and love how simple and effective it is.
This filter helps remove chlorine, bad tastes, odors, and sediment from the water coming out of campground spigots. It’s an essential tool for improving water quality before it even enters your RV’s plumbing system.
Why It Matters:
- Reduces buildup in your RV plumbing
- Improves the taste and smell of water
- Protects your appliances from scale and debris
Pro Tip: Before connecting your hose and filter, always flush your water line for a few seconds to clear any stagnant or dirty water.
If you’re looking to level up your whole water system, consider also reading my post on how to keep your RV floors clean—because dirty water leads to dirty everything!
2. Drinking Water Filter at the Sink
While the hose inline filter is great, we don’t stop there. For our drinking and cooking water, we use an 3 filter system that’s mounted under our sink for purification. We use this drinking water filter*, which removes contaminants like heavy metals, VOCs, and even PFAS.
It’s installed under the sink, hidden in your cabinet and connects to a seperate drinking water faucet at the sink. Install once and use for YEARS. No electricity required, and it filters on demand. (for those of you with a Sabre 33RLP or other models with the famous “tik tok sink” we removed the cup washer and installed the drinking water faucet in it’s place, no drilling needed)
Why We Love It:
- Filtered water is HEALTHER than bottled water
- Makes water taste amazing
- Saves money vs buying bottled water
- Takes up NO space on your countertop
- You do not need to store bottles of water
This setup ensures that whether we’re making coffee, boiling pasta, or refilling our dog’s water bowl, we know we’re drinking the cleanest water possible.
Want to dive deeper into what’s really in your local tap water? Check out the EWG’s Tap Water Database here: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
Added BONUS – we use our filtered water to make soft, nugget style ice in our countertop ice maker that fits perfectly in this little nook! The size and price makes this the Best RV Countertop Icemaker.
3. Filtered Shower Water (Yes, Really!)
I used to think shower water wasn’t a big deal—until I started noticing dry skin, itchy scalp, and dull hair after every trip. Campground water is often treated with chlorine or other chemicals that can wreak havoc on sensitive skin and hair.
So we added a Canopy Filtered Showerhead* to our RV bathroom, and the difference has been huge. Our skin feels softer, and my hair actually looks better after a week of camping than it does at home sometimes! PLUS it also improved our shower head water pressure, making the shower feel even better!
And the installation is SO EASY – no husband or tools required!
Why You Need One:
- Filters chlorine and contaminants from shower water
- Healthier for skin and hair
- Easy to install and replace filters
Canopy Filtered Showerhead‘s unique filter technology not only removes harsh chemicals but also helps maintain optimal humidity levels, which is a game changer when you’re showering in dry climates.
Why We Ditched Bottled Water (For Good)
Besides the obvious waste, bottled water just doesn’t make sense for campers anymore. Most people assume bottled water is cleaner, but that’s often not the case. In fact, the NRDC found that over 25% of bottled water is just tap water in disguise. Source: NRDC – The Truth About Tap
And don’t get me started on the plastic. One family camping for a weekend can easily go through dozens of bottles—and that waste adds up fast. Switching to filtered water saves money, reduces clutter, and supports a more sustainable lifestyle.
Added Bonus: No more loading heavy cases of water into the RV or figuring out where to store them.
If you’re into natural, non-toxic living (like we are), check out our post on homemade non-toxic weed killer. Keeping harmful chemicals out of your garden and your water system goes hand in hand.
How to Set Up Your RV Water Filtration System
Here’s the full setup we use every trip:
- Connect the inline filter to your water source outside the RV, as easy as hooking up a hose!
- Drinking water filter is already attached to your sink, so nothing to be hooked up each trip. If you have running water (from a hookup or your fresh water tank, then you always have safe and delicious drinking water!!
- Filtered showerhead is already installed in your RV bathroom, ready to go for soft skin and lucious locks!
All three filters are compact, easy to use, and make a noticeable difference in water quality.
Filtering your RV water isn’t just about avoiding bottled water—it’s about protecting your health, saving money, and making life on the road a little more comfortable.
By using these three filters, we’ve completely eliminated the need for bottled water while camping—and we’ve never looked back.
Do you filter your camper water? I’d love to hear what setup works for you! Leave a comment below or share your tips on Instagram.
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