Can you dump Grey water on the ground?

[Parcany]

My .02 cents. Find out if it is ok to dump grey water or not. If not don't do it. Seems pretty simple to me.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by wags999

Interesting link. The gray water dumping question answered - Good Sam Camping Blog


For those not wishing to read the story, here is the key section regarding Arizona.

tried... the link posted was not something that is readable (see attachment)... and I find that someones blog five years ago.... is not as informative as say... the state website that publishes the current law that we are asked to abide by. Can you post the actual law that we need to obey next week? Not someones interpretation on a blog. . .

[Sassy Lassy]

We do and we don’t, it depends on where we are. Boondocking yes, more often than not. We have been to a couple state parks in different states where they have told us it is ok upfront. I think the real question here should be, how many of us have actually asked if it is ok or just assumed it is not?

[klirg]

I Understand in Mexico on the Mayan Riviera all grey water is used for watering.

[Forelyndogs]

It's hard for me to imagine what I would do with dishwater other than throw on the ground if I was camping in a tent in boondocks. Even in most state park campgrounds without hookups. However, in an RV with a grey water tank. That's a completely different animal. It is to me simply inconceivable, short of a disaster situation to dump the grey water tank anywhere other than at an approved dump station.

[RetiredLEO]

My Grandma was a young share cropper's bride living on the Illinois prairie during the dust bowl days. She always saved her dishwashing water to water her garden. She always had a great garden.
Dad use to joke during the Dust Bowl they owned ground from Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri...............it was just out the back door

[cfarrar]

Don't be like cousin Eddie, lol

[Raptor1797]

You guys are killing me with this ! So, it is OK that all the farmers cattle are doing their business in the pastures but it would be such a bad, terrible and most appulsive act to let soapy water that may contain some tiny food particles drain on the ground. I bet you also believe that you should never ever take a drink from a garden hose !

[wags999]

Originally Posted by Raptor1797

You guys are killing me with this ! So, it is OK that all the farmers cattle are doing their business in the pastures but it would be such a bad, terrible and most appulsive act to let soapy water that may contain some tiny food particles drain on the ground. I bet you also believe that you should never ever take a drink from a garden hose !

Its not about what you feel may be right, it's about laws...some places have LAWS against dumping any waste water...didn't say we agreed with the laws, just that it IS the law.. The thread was about legality of dumping, not if we feel it is ok or not ok.

[namusmc65]

Originally Posted by rarobo

In Georgia’s newest state park there is a charcoal pit at every site for gray water.i talked to a ranger one day, he said there were campers using the charcoal in their grills..... and they say you can’t survive without a brain

Which State park is this? We will have to check them out. Georgia has some beautiful State Parks. Have seen gray water dumping sites in some Georgia State Parks but others not. Maybe I have not looked close enough.
We will be camping in a COE campground through Christmas with no sewer hookups. I will have to check their policy on the dumping of gray water.

[namusmc65]

This is taken from the Corps of Engineer Rules for their campgrounds.

"Gray water must be kept in the camper or holding tank and not spilled in the park. There are dump stations and gray water sump pumps for that purpose."

[JeffNY]

Currently with out an RV or trailer but will prob be buying a new one next year. Am liking the Eagle HT's. I have been enamored by the idea of a camper that could produce (pull) water (moisture) out of the air for an endless supply of water and that could also deal with the gray and black water waste by itself too.

I have been enamored by the idea of a camper that could produce (pull) water (moisture) out of the air for an endless supply of water and that could also deal with the gray and black water waste by itself too. With enough electric power these Cinderella (Norway) or Incinolet (Texas) incinerating toilets look interesting for 'black' waste. As far as the 'gray' water goes, I must be honest, the idea of just dumping it on the ground used to seem odd to me.

But the more I thought about it.... If you did use bio-degradable soaps, then even ran the gray water thru some kind of filter to grab bigger particles (I still have the Flojet RV Portable Waste Water Pump I bought for last RV a filter could be connected too), then really, what harm are you doing? As long as you not discharging it on your neighbors camp site, or sending it down hill on someone....i.e. you had an appropriate place to discharge it.

It a shame that your gray water could not be filtered/processed for re-use. But that would require some high tech and probably costly hardware.

[silverta16]

I've heard some boondockers have rigged their campers to use their gray water to flush with. Makes sense.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by silverta16

I've heard some boondockers have rigged their campers to use their gray water to flush with. Makes sense.

I don't have one, but there are companies out there offering kits to make it happen: https://www.usi-rv.com/product.sc?productId=7

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by namusmc65

This is taken from the Corps of Engineer Rules for their campgrounds.

"Gray water must be kept in the camper or holding tank and not spilled in the park. There are dump stations and gray water sump pumps for that purpose."

Can you share the document that you are quoting?

Nothing in Title 36 has any reference to this quote.

Title 36 -- Parks, Forests, and Public Property
CHAPTER 111 -- U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
PART 327--RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING PUBLIC USE OF
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ADMINISTERED BY
THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS

https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Porta...egulations.pdf

[farnik78]

Originally Posted by JeffNY

It a shame that your gray water could not be filtered/processed for re-use. But that would require some high tech and probably costly hardware.

That is exactly what Mother Nature does when you dump it on the ground. It is filtered processed and reused and doesn’t require any expensive high tech gadgets.

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by JeffNY

A
I have been enamored by the idea of a camper that could produce (pull) water (moisture) out of the air for an endless supply of water and that could also deal with the gray and black water waste by itself too. With enough electric power these Cinderella (Norway) or Incinolet (Texas) incinerating toilets look interesting for 'black' waste.
.

I am enamored by why you would think that a system more common with long term space craft [$$$$$] would make sence for camping when water in the natural form is more often available if not from a tap then from a stream, pond, or lake. That water is easily purified or filtered to make it safe to drink. I'm thinking you might be over thinking the subject.

[JeffNY]

>>That is exactly what Mother Nature does when you dump it on the ground. It is filtered processed and reused and doesn’t require any expensive high tech gadgets.<<

I meant to re-use in the RV. I understand when up dump water somewhere nature 'recycles' it. I think that went without saying. But the goal is have usable water IN the RV.

>>I am enamored by why you would think that a system more common with long term space craft [$$$$$] would make sence for camping when water in the natural form is more often available if not from a tap then from a stream, pond, or lake.<<

I did NOT say I thought it made more sense, I said "that would require some high tech and probably costly hardware.". And how many people pull water from "a stream, pond, or lake" into their RV? And would feel safe drinking that without purifying it or testing it?? And would we want every RV'er out there just throwing a hose into "a stream, pond, or lake" and taking on 40 or 50 gallons of un-tested water? I'm thinking you might not have understood my comments on the subject, or have a better solution.

[PlayersZ28]

I currently run out of black tank space long before I fill the gray tanks. Be better if I combined the gray & black tanks for the bathroom then I'd have more tank storage.

This means I don't need to dump gray on the ground. I might pee there though on occasion.

[JeffNY]

Depending on how much power these incinerating toilets require, if you had enough solar and battery capacity to make one work, then you could potential use your black tank to hold gray water too..... until you could find a place to dump it on the ground somewhere :P