Save water in your DIY custom van build

The procurement of water can be one of the bigger hassles of full-time vanlife. We have a 44-gallon freshwater system and it’s not easy to roll into an unsuspecting lot and fill that thing. We worked at being mindful when dishwashing, taking very short or no showers, and doing our best to be conservative with our usage. Our kitchen faucet is even made for an RV with a low-flow faucet head, but we found that we were still having to fill our tanks every 10 days or so. What a drag!

For the first 8 months of our journey full-time, we just accepted that this was going to be part of our routine until the day we died. And then - we discovered the most miraculous water-saving device ever invented! Enter the Altered Nozzle. This little device has been the answer to our rain dances and voodoo ceremonies. A true modern miracle whose use and value extends far beyond those trying to achieve Instagram immortality!

The Altered Nozzle is a little contraption that replaces the existing faucet aerator with one that saves up to 98% of water. It has adapters to fit nearly every faucet (Fits Standard (20,8mm), Junior (18,1mm) and Tom Thumb (15mm) sized tap) and it fit our folding faucet like a charm. The nozzle has two settings, Mist Mode, which saves up to 98% of the water you’ve been using and Save Mode, which saves up to 85%. We are here to report that the Altered Nozzle does exactly what it advertises. We have seen nearly a 75% decrease in the amount of water we use! 75%!!! If you take one piece of advice from us - out of all the content we write - this is the absolute must-have product to purchase. Even if you never move into a home on wheels - buy one for your house faucet.

Why we love it: It looks great, it works as advertised, and we’re having to fill our tanks far less often than before - which means MORE SHOWERS! The Mist and Save modes are easy to switch between and the spray that they create does what we need them to do. The instructions that come with the nozzle make installation a breeze and all tools (small Allen wrench for a set screw) are included.

Things to keep in mind: This is a water-saving device, so water doesn’t flow at the same rate as other aerators, even though it feels strong. We’ve noticed that it takes an extra minute or two to do the dishes when using the Mist Mode. The Mist Mode also creates an incredibly fine mist, some of which will float in the air and land on your counter depending on the size of your sink and the height of your faucet. It may also create higher humidity in your van depending on weather conditions (open a window!).

The take-away: If you loathe the idea of paying to stay at a campground to fill your water tanks just as much as we do - you need to order an Altered Nozzle today. The two spray modes, the contemporary design, and the water savings make this little marvel a must-have in any build!