Dumping gray Water on the ground?

[LadyWindrider]

There was a thread a while back entitled "Why do people do this?" It started by mentioning someone dumping gray water on the ground. Now I don't want to start this again, but instead, inform everyone that reads this, of a show on Public Television entitled "Ask This Old House" Yesterday they had an episode, where in California, they rerouted a ladies home washing machine waste water, and used it for an irrigation system. Said it was legal and encouraged there. Also said they could use sink and shower water also. Found it very interesting after the 200 plus replies to the other thread, and sometimes heated discussion.

I'm not agreeing, or disagreeing, just stating what I saw on public television, and I'm sure they don't have the funds to make stuff up.

[DDC]

A lot of gardeners use dish water for controlling bugs and fungus.

[Denny in Los Lunas]

we use all our gray houshold water on our lawn and flowerbeds, shower, washingmachine are toe only two, works great for us

[Jeep4Two]

There is a significant difference in using the gray water from clothes washing and what might normally be contained in gray water from normal camper usage. Most detergents used in clothes washing are phosphate free and dispersed over a wide are (lawn irrigation) won't pose a problem. I can't speak to bug or fungus control.

I also wonder if that gray water was going into a cistern that also caught rain water (further diluting the gray). I seem to recall a similar show (may have been TOH) where rain and gray were combined for irrigation purposes.

[papap]

What do you put in your camperbgrey water that is not in the grey water at home? Only thing in our camper grey water would be bath soap, shampoo and dish soap. Oh and maybe some tooth paste.

[Jeep4Two]

I think the concern I would have Is residual food waste primarily. Antibacterial soaps won be another. If I were using gray water collection at home I would not use sink water in that system.

At the cg the concern would be the concentration levels along with antibacterial soaps and residual food waste.

[papap]

Ok. But the post above said they used house sink water also. People use antibacterial soap in shower and in bathrooms to ash their hands. So the same thing that is in camper water would be in house grey water. Probably less stuff in camper water. You see lots of people walking dish and their hands outside at campgrounds. Then dumping the water on the ground.

[RubenZ]

Exactly. I never understood the whole fear of dumping grey water. Its like people that use outside showers. same crap.

[trudinator]

Main reason it isn't acceptable at camgrounds is due to the odor. My gray water tank gets pretty odorous because I use it like a regular kitchen sink. Bits of food, grease, etc., go down the drain, then it sits in there and "cooks" and by the end of the week it is down right nasty. Imagine if everyone did it. It could get real ugly in a hurry. As for using gray water from washing machines, etc., I don't think that would be an issue. Soaps are phosphate free.

[GilnJo]

I've been a water/wastewater engineer for 30 years, and I am currently a manager of a California water utility, and a long time camper. It's true that gray water systems are used in single family homes for outdoor irrigation in California. Based on my knowledge and experience, I see no problem in disposing RV gray water on the ground; BUT as with most things in real life - all things in moderation, and with consideration for one's fellow campers. I've only reccently upgraded to a travel trailer with a 30 gallon gray water tank, after 15+ years in a pop up. From my pop up days I have an 8 gallon gray water tote w/ wheels I would empty about once daily, in an out of the way area. I still carry it when dry camping and I need to draw down the TT gray water tank. I also minimize food waste in the dish water by wiping away food waste from the dishes into the trash before washing them in the sink.

[Jeep4Two]

Originally Posted by papap

Ok. But the post above said they used house sink water also. People use antibacterial soap in shower and in bathrooms to ash their hands. So the same thing that is in camper water would be in house grey water. Probably less stuff in camper water. You see lots of people walking dish and their hands outside at campgrounds. Then dumping the water on the ground.

You are right. Most cgs have written policies against doing that too. I would agree that there is likely little to no harm in hand washing, and dish washing only really adds risk for scavengers/animals being attracted to odors.

As other posters here say the cg concern is odor.

Back to the original scenario. I wonder about odor for those residential grey water recycling systems. I wonder if a chemical is used to reduce or eliminate the odor. Maybe dilution with rain and/or city water etc?

I know that my little 5 gallon bucket I use with my a frame gets quite rank in only a few days usage durning the past few fall camping trips. I'd Imagine that will be worse in the summer and I wouldn't want to leave that for the next camper. I also wouldn't want that smell in my lawn or garden. But I also would never water my lawn...

[buffalohunter]

Originally Posted by GilnJo

I've been a water/wastewater engineer for 30 years, and I am currently a manager of a California water utility, and a long time camper. It's true that gray water systems are used in single family homes for outdoor irrigation in California. Based on my knowledge and experience, I see no problem in disposing RV gray water on the ground; BUT as with most things in real life - all things in moderation, and with consideration for one's fellow campers. I've only reccently upgraded to a travel trailer with a 30 gallon gray water tank, after 15+ years in a pop up. From my pop up days I have an 8 gallon gray water tote w/ wheels I would empty about once daily, in an out of the way area. I still carry it when dry camping and I need to draw down the TT gray water tank. I also minimize food waste in the dish water by wiping away food waste from the dishes into the trash before washing them in the sink.

Sounds right and proper to me.

[lindy]

One word answer to why cg's don't permit dumping grey tanks on the ground. "IDOTS", in other words those individuals that don't know the difference between their black and grey tank handles.

[TF-Kevin]

well the way i see it, i would not like it someone dumped there grey water in my backyard so i won't do it to anybody else yard including campgrounds

[VTX Al]

Originally Posted by windrider

There was a thread a while back entitled "Why do people do this?" It started by mentioning someone dumping gray water on the ground. Now I don't want to start this again, but instead, inform everyone that reads this, of a show on Public Television entitled "Ask This Old House" Yesterday they had an episode, where in California, they rerouted a ladies home washing machine waste water, and used it for an irrigation system. Said it was legal and encouraged there. Also said they could use sink and shower water also. Found it very interesting after the 200 plus replies to the other thread, and sometimes heated discussion.

I'm not agreeing, or disagreeing, just stating what I saw on public television, and I'm sure they don't have the funds to make stuff up.

AND........ heeeeeeeerrrre we go again

...VTX-Al

[Len & Cheri]

Last thread I was called an idiot because of my views that were identical to GilnJo's. Let's see how long until a name caller posts a reply. I think we can have a good discussion without that type of behaviour.

[Denny in Los Lunas]

here is my thought. grey at home ok with me, it gets dispursed all over so there in no build-up or smell. dumping grey at a camp site not a good idea. bath and kitchen sinks can collect a lot of unpleasant odors and like has been said the animal issue. would not want my dog rolling in some stink then coming into my trailer. have a nice evening all.

[Mountainmanbob]

Originally Posted by windrider

in California,
they rerouted a ladies home washing machine waste water,
and used it for an irrigation system.
Said it was legal and encouraged there.

that is interesting
I test water wells in the San Diego backcountry
when houses are sold here
and the sellers have piped there washing machine
so as to dump outside
they have to repipe it into the septic tank before selling
((it don't make sense))
putting that washer water with it's cloth fiber
into a septic system is not smart

unless things have changed here ??
no dumping grey water anywhere allowed

we go out to Borrego Desert often
if they catch one dumping grey out there
one heck of a fine

those Rangers
are just looking for a big bust !!

Mountainman


PS
went looking around on the net

Common Greywater Mistakes and Preferred Practices

Preferred practice

Each user has to find their own comfort point on the paranoia vs recklessness continuum, and each community has to determine the outer limits of recklessness it will tolerate. Grey water reuse poses a very mild health threat in overdeveloped countries. Despite all sorts of grievous misuse (brought on in part by lack of useful regulatory guidance), there has not been a single documented case of grey water transmitted illness in the US. At the same time, it's definitely poor form to construct pathways for infecting people into your design, and totally unnecessary. Proper handling (using the same principles on page 4) can eliminate the health threat from grey water in third world countries.
http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/misinfo/index.htm

[tentcamper1]

at your home you can control the grey water. at a campground it will be dumped everywhere and anywhere, create mud, some standing water, the smell, soap suds, etc.
the Indiana SP's have waste water treatment plants and I'm sure they need to reclaim the grey as well as the black to aid in the water treatment.
I fully understand why they don't allow it to be drained on the site.

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by lindy

One word answer to why cg's don't permit dumping grey tanks on the ground. "IDOTS", in other words those individuals that don't know the difference between their black and grey tank handles.

What is an "IDOT" ?