Water thief proof water hydrant

[Jammer]

A while ago I was at Cleary Lake campground in Prior Lake, MN. There are some group campsites with electric only we were using.

There was only one place to get water and they'd gone to great lengths to be sure there was absolutely no way to attach a hose. The hydrant was a 12" square heavy steel box with a valve lever, and an outlet about 12" from the ground. The outlet was built into a sort of angled ledge so that there was no way to get a water thief on there.

I've never seen anything like it before or since.

[TBRich]

Guess they don't want you (us) to fill tanks with a hose! I hate when that happens. We carry a 5-gal water container to transfer water to the trailer's tank if we need it...just far circumstances like this.

[vctrhdgs]

I realize that some campgrounds may not want to give unlimited access to their water supply, however, as a camper you are going to need water (even over electricity).
I find myself confused by the idea of not giving campers access to the water supply.
I haven't seen the exact set up your talking about... but I have seen others in my travels.
Do they not want folks in their campground?
Hmmm
Victoria

[Foiled Again]

Time to buy a 2nd pump. I found a little pump that can be run by an electric drill. I use it to pump water from my shower into the toilet and black tank when I'm boondocking. I also can use it to run water in a bucket through the black tank rinser when I'm rinsing the black tank (normally I use a hose with a backflow preventer, but some campgrounds are paranoid about backflow into their white water. Fill a bucket with clean water, hook up the pump exhaust to the tank washer and turn on the drill! Voila.

If this becomes more common - I'll spend $15 more for a "White water pump".

Paula

[Gene]

I can see why public CG's want to make it hard to get water via a hose in the west. Water is scarce here. If the CG is in a desert, it's very scarce. And desert includes the high desert where piñon and juniper grow. It can be a desert without sand dunes and much of the west is high desert. You might not want to drink that water even though it's "potable". Sometimes it tastes downright nasty.

Why they do that in well watered areas is beyond me other than a one size fits all attitude.

Gene

[RickDavis]

WE carry a second shur flo pump with a hose on each end. Have a cigarette lighter plug on it and an outlet installed in a side compartment.
I don't mind carrying the water to the trailer, but the pump means we don't have to hold the jugs up to fill, just pump it in.
We have tried the drill pumps, but had several fail. They don't seem to be very tolerant of running dry, even for a few minutes

[BradS]

I think I ran into one of the devices Jammer is talking about. It was at a group campsite at Baker Park, west of Minneapolis. I was confused by it.It must be some cost saving device in our park systems.

[CanoeStream]

Mmm... Baker Park has a good reputation. I feel like my location gives me a jumpstart on Twin Cities traffic. But for that silly little anachronism, "the reservation" ... But I've actually considered Baker Park; just haven't gotten there yet.

Any pictures of these water thief obfuscation devices?

This is one of the reasons I'm rarely without a dedicated 5 gallon plastic jerry can for toting water. Mine says "diesel" on the side but our dishwashing knows better....

[markdoane]

Both of these campgrounds are part of the Three Rivers Park District. The District is one of the best organized and run independent park districts in the US, with assets of $170,000,000 and twenty sites covering almost 27,000 acres within 30 miles of Minneapolis.

I'm gonna assume they put in "cheater-proof" hydrants to prevent backflow and cross connections, not to keep you from stealing more than your fair share of water.

[wahoonc]

I have seen those before, the supposed reason is to keep some people from running a hose to the faucet and using for their use and others not being able to get water. I have had this happen at a state park in NC. The people were not very nice when someone reported it to the rangers, after dark they hooked it back up. Someone cut their hose in about 4 pieces later that night.

Aaron

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by BradS

I think I ran into one of the devices Jammer is talking about. It was at a group campsite at Baker Park, west of Minneapolis. I was confused by it.It must be some cost saving device in our park systems.

There is one thing I like even less in campgrounds. Those TP dispensers that will only let you get 3 or 4 sheets at a time.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

There is one thing I like even less in campgrounds. Those TP dispensers that will only let you get 3 or 4 sheets at a time.

That is why I take my own roll with me...ALWAYS I have also had one to many experiences where there was no TP or someone thinking they were being cute had wet it down.

Aaron

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

That is why I take my own roll with me...ALWAYS I have also had one to many experiences where there was no TP or someone thinking they were being cute had wet it down.

Aaron

uh... oh... Well I COULD top that story, but discretion and good taste have momentarily risen to the surface of my brain... so no funny but awful story.

Paula

[CanoeStream]

Jammer, we'll start asking you to bring along an easy-to-carry camera to post photos back here. We'll provide the hack to show 'em the error of their ways....