Pick the right tank before you buy anything
Hauling water is simple once you stop overthinking the container. You need something food-grade, UV-stable, and the right size for your vehicle and refill rhythm.
- For a truck bed, a 100–275 gallon poly tank or an IBC tote is the sweet spot — cheap, stackable, easy to find used.
- Buy food-grade only. Totes that once held chemicals are cheaper for a reason.
- Strap it down. A full 100-gallon tank is over 800 lbs of moving weight.
- Keep a smaller jug for drinking water you refill separately.
Know your fill points like your gas stations
The whole system lives or dies on where you fill up. Map this out before you're low, including hours and cost.
- Many small towns have a coin-op water vending machine — pennies per gallon, odd hours.
- Some hardware stores, feed stores, and RV parks sell bulk water; ask locally.
- Have a backup fill point for the day your usual spot is closed.
Getting water from tank to tap
Once the water's home, you want it to behave like plumbing instead of a chore.
- A 12V RV water pump (under $100) pressurizes a line straight from the tank.
- Gravity works for free: a tank up on a platform gives a usable trickle with zero power.
- Add an inline sediment filter between tank and tap.
Stop algae and funk before they start
Stored water goes bad mostly from light and heat — both of which the high desert has in abundance.
- Shade the tank or use an opaque dark tank.
- Rinse and refresh tanks periodically.
- A tiny, correctly-dosed amount of unscented bleach keeps a storage tank safe — don't eyeball it.
What it actually runs
People assume hauling water is expensive. It's the opposite — the gear is cheap and the water is nearly free. The real cost is your time and gas on the run itself.
- Tank + pump + filter is a one-time outlay you recover fast versus drilling a well.
- If a delivery run costs less than your fuel and half a day, it's worth handing off.
Out near Concho or St. Johns? We'll bring it to your land.
Water, propane, groceries, gas cans, lumber, a forgotten part from town — Concho Dash runs errands and deliveries straight out to off-grid parcels in the area. No app, no membership. Text what you need.
See what Concho Dash hauls → Text or call · 480-201-7275Want the full water playbook?
The High Desert Survival Guide covers water systems in depth — sizing storage for a family, winterizing tanks, and emergency reserves.
Get the High Desert Survival Guide →