The Ethics of Gray (Grey) Water??

[MoonStomper]

Passing gas in California will get you fined. It's not called "the land of fruits and nuts" for just their agriculture.

[Jakieboy]

Please do not insult me by implying that I have been "brainwashed". I have been camping in remote and developed areas for most of my life, and I am now 73 years old. I know what works and what does not work. I know what pollutes and what does not pollute. I know that it is always best to observe and obey the rules and the law. If that becomes an inconvenience for some, then so be it.

It is illegal in many states and in many parks throughout the nation to simply dump grey water on the ground. That is a fact, and if you decide to ignore that fact, and you get caught breaking the law, you deserve whatever consequences the law stipulates.

Those of us who have camped for as many years as we have are still learning how best to preserve the outdoor lifestyle, and show respect for our fellow campers and for the environment. Accusing me of being "brainwashed" shows no respect at all. Here's hoping we never meet, 325BH.

[bikendan]

Geez, another California bashing thread hijack.😖

[Jakieboy]

Those of you who have decided to bash California have obviously never been here, or at the very least, have misunderstood my remarks regarding grey water. My remarks were intended simply to inform those who might visit California State Parks and be fined for dumping grey water. I fart all the time, and I have never once been arrested!!

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

.............................

Do the right thing, and dump your grey water into a sewage system whenever you can. The chemicals in most washing detergents that find their way into grey water tanks can cause unintended harm to the environment. If you choose to continue to dump your grey waste water into the campgrounds you visit, then please do not come to California.

Washing detergents cause harm to the environment???? I have a washing machine in my barn used mostly for washing horse blankets and other fabrics used mostly in the horse business. It drains into a pair of 50 gallon barrels, which in turn are drained by a garden hose extending about 200 feet into a pasture type area adjacent to a wooded area. Gets used about twice a week. The drain area is on a slope which allows the "gray water" to spread out before entering the woods. Usually it disappears within a few hours of draining and the next day the area is dry.

This has been going on for over 20 years and the drain area is the most fertile and best looking area over my entire 17 acres. The house washing machine drains into the home septic system and spreads throughout the leach field. I don't see any difference in gray water going into that field and dispersing underground or draining on top of the soil and dispersing by sinking into the ground.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

There are legitimate reasons why nearly every private and public campground in the country forbids the dumping of grey water. It is a matter of preventing the release of harmful pollutants into the environment. It is impossible to guarantee that every grey water holding tank does not contain some kind of pollutant that will damage the environment in every part of the nation.

If you are caught dumping grey water directly on the ground in any California State Park, you will be faced with consequences that will likely include a significant fine, and hours of remediation to try to clean up the mess you create. I have seen it happen many times.

Do the right thing, and dump your grey water into a sewage system whenever you can. The chemicals in most washing detergents that find their way into grey water tanks can cause unintended harm to the environment. If you choose to continue to dump your grey waste water into the campgrounds you visit, then please do not come to California.

So, giving you the benefit of the doubt, I'll just say that your sermon betrays the fact that you didn't actually address the question in the original post...in which I clearly stated that the question does not apply to close-quarters state/national parks or private commercial campgrounds wherein I actually do dump gray water into their "facilities". I very clearly asked about boondocking situations.

Perhaps you are addressing someone else's comments? Otherwise, your comments have no bearing on my question.
Popcorn indeed.

[jimmoore13]

So,
To all who addressed the question regarding gray water disposal while boondocking, thanks.

To those who reminded us all that boondocking doesn't apply to state/national parks and private campgrounds - or situations of close-quarters camping, I agree.

In the interest of harmony, I feel I have the input I requested. I cannot "close" a thread, but I'll consider it closed and stop following.

By the way, popcorn is good, but I have a preference for Harry & David's Moose Munch.

[dalford]

There is one subject not mentioned in this thread or I have missed it. It is one thing to wash your camp dishes and letting the water run onto the ground. It is another thing to dump a grey tank that has been storing water and decaying food waste for, in some cases, many days. Has anyone ever noticed that the grey water STINKS! when dumped from a grey tank? I sure would not want to be sitting next to my fellow camper when he dumped his 40 gallon grey tank on the ground.

I also agree with the posts regarding quantity. I remember when I was a kid lots of people ran the water from their washing machine outside the house onto the ground (now, we are going back to when houses were not plumber for a washer so we had to improvise plus it was completely acceptable to do this) and there was always a wet area in this area. It did not stink because it had not sit in a tank with decaying food particles but it was a swamp area. That is what the campgrounds would turn into.

[Skyliner]

I dump gray water all of the time in CO in the back country. The trees love me for it.

I also use the gray water to wash the dust of my ATVs after a long dusty ride.

I don't know if it is legal or not nor do I care.

I'm curious, what do all of those hikers in CO do when they have to urinate or defecate while on hike? I've never seen a single one of them with a shovel to dig a hole to bury their waste. Yet, these are the same folks who wouldn't hesitate to turn me in for dumping gray water or insult me for my use of power sport "toys" in the backcountry.

BTW, my last camping trip, I saved the last batch of gray water for my lawn.

[NMWildcat]

Dalford, We make an effort to not have any food particles go down any gray drain, and we use biodegradable gray tank deodorant. Try it! Never noticed a smell with our gray water. If you aren't comfortable dumping gray on the ground, don't do it! I will continue to do so as long as it is feasible