Managing your own water is not usual, usually you just have to open the tap or tighten the chain. But there are specific cases where you must be responsible for self-management.
When you travel in motorhome you realize the implications of your daily life: you must manage the space very well because you have very little to live (eat, sleep, shower, cook), you must manage your waste, … and above all, one of the first things you are aware of is the management of water.
In a motorhome, you have to keep in mind that the grey water, that is, the water is used to wash the dishes, the shower, wash your hands or cook. This drainage of water will have to be more frequent or less depending on the size of the tank you have, the amount of water you spend or what liquid or waste will go to the grey water – it is not the same the water to wash your hands that water to cook a broccoli, that in the summer and at high temperatures, will leave you an unpleasant smell in your entire auto caravan.
On the other hand, you must also empty the black waters, that is, the ones you generate by going to the toilet. In this case the deposit is usually quite small, therefore, you have to empty it and clean it often and also keep in mind what is going to stop. It can only contain water, excrements and urine. Forget to use it like trash; There cannot be no covers, no mattresses, no wet towels, or even, no toilet paper! Except that you are willing to waste a long time trying to unplug the drainage tube from the water tank.
Finally, you have to have potable water. You often have a deposit of 100 litres or more, therefore, you will have to rationalize your consumption and use it carefully, without wasting it and being very aware of why you need it and how much you are left in the deposit. The gesture of activating the display is very frequent to see the level that has the potable water tank. And if you do not stay or you are running out, you will have to find a place where you can fill it with fresh water, which is not wherever there is a tap or a stream, no. You have to find somewhere ready for camper vans where you can connect your hose to fill the tank. It means that someone has previously purified the water and brought it to where you need it – a water company – and has left the appropriate connection point. Therefore, it is important that you have brought the potable water where you need it as you find water.
As I told you in a camper van you have approximately the amount of water that the United Nations organization considers that each person needs to live between 50 and 100 litres of water not contaminated daily. But also, according to their reports it is considered that under 100 litres / person and day goes into hygienic risk. Therefore, this means that in a motorhome, the use of water must be rationalized but without exceeding these limits of hygiene. We also must do it in the home of each one of us. Currently, in Manresa the daily consumption of water has dropped to 117 litres / person, when we were 15 years ago we were 180 litres / person. And that is already good, because it means that we have become aware of its more rational use. But we must also be aware of not entering hygienic risk.
To finish this summer paper, I would say that if you are lucky enough to spend the holidays next to the water, enjoy all the colours that the water shows: the transparent mountain stream, turquoise lake, blue from the sea, … but above all, respect it so that other people can enjoy it.
Anna Closes, head of the Educational Service of the Parc de la Sèquia
