Grey water management

[Mat]

Good morning all, we are a family of 4 and have made reservations to some Florida States Park in our January getaway next winter. As our provincial parks here in Ontario campsites don't have sewage connection. We are usually good at managing grey water over a 3-4 day period, using shower facilities as needed, give the kids "pirate bath", do dishes outside and so on... But still after a long weekend our grey water tank will be full which we dump at the sewage station on our way out. My question is, how do people manage their grey water when camping in a state/provincial parks for an extended period of time 5-7 days? IMO blue totes are using lots of cargo room, overpriced (at least in Canada) and awkward to work with. Trying to stay away from the idea of pulling the camping trailer at the dumping station when needed. Does state parks offer portable sewage service ($)? What people think of grey stealth dumping?

[youroo]

NO Gray Stealth Dumping in the USA State Parks! Dont know of any State Park Pumping Service either! Youroo!!

[tony5oh]

Please do NOT come to my state and stealth dump.

We are a family of 3 and often have a 4th and, rookie season aside, almost never have a tank mgmt issue. What is the capacity of your gray tank?

Conserve your gray water:
Use disposable/recyclable dishes.
Toothbrushing etc done in park bath houses
Wash dishes at community sink, if available.
Pre-cook meals ahead of time that might be messy and/or require a lot of cleanup to prepare.
Train your kids. LOL.

A lot of things like above you can do to stretch the grey tank.
No joke, we often have to run some water into grey to get it full for dumping. Even after a 3-4 day trip.

FL state parks don't offer portable sewage service.

[uhduh camping]

Many places do not allow dish washing outside. We do see quite a few places that provide facilities for such purpose. We choose to wash dishes in a small tub and drain that into the black tank which does not normally fill as quickly. It could always use more water anyways. We also brush our teeth and wash hands catching all the water in a smaller tub. That goes to the black tank as well. If we are going for more than 5 days we use the shower facilities which are always provided.

[Mat]

Thank you all for your feedback, I didn't want to offend nobody with the grey stealth dumping and so sorry if I did!

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by Mat

Thank you all for your feedback, I didn't want to offend nobody with the grey stealth dumping and so sorry if I did!

Don't worry about it, people get touchy over this grey water. You would think it was crude oil or plutonium.

PA state parks had no specific grey water requirements or regulations until the late 1980's. Up until that point for 30 years or more when you went into a PA state park campground, every trailer or RV that had a grey tank had a garden hose running out into the woods. That's a lot of grey water being dumped for years and the woods are still there, the wildlife is still there, the lakes and streams are still there and full of fish, etc.

Too much belly aching go's on over this grey water in RV and camping forums, its actually amusing.

I wonder what the tank huggers are going to say when the ones who make the rules reverse course, and tell you to let your grey water loose in the woods because dumping it in the sewage system is a waste of water and energy? That day is coming sooner rather than later.

[Flybob]

You can purchase a 5 gallon container or bucket with a lid and dump your dish water and sponge bath water into it. When full you can dispose of it at the public restroom or wash sink. If it is difficult to carry when full, purchase a small collapsible luggage cart ( used to pull luggage through airport) and tote the container on that. This will most likely double your grey tank empty time. Please do not stealth dump in most US state parks it will result in being asked to leave and a possible fine.

[W5CI]

Don't Ask and Don't Tell, IMHO

[Steeljag]

I've seen people using buckets to carry the grey water to the dump station. You will always have some who will dump their nasty/ sweaty, greasy, spit grey water at a site! Maybe it's the same people who throw cigerette butts all over the site, trash into fire ring, beer cans in wood line, and a dog pile or two, etc. Whats the big deal right?

Some Florida state parks have sewage hookups at each site.

Enjoy your trip !

[whj77372]

The very reason that we don't do without full hookups.
Some states do have full hookups at public parks but you must check. I do know
that full hookups including sewer are rare in Canada's public parks.
Have a great trip, enjoy the weather and I hope your dollar is not
so low compared to the US Dollar when you are here.

[Butch Wilson]

If you are camping in a limited facility park you adapt and follow the rules ! As for what they did in the 50's they were fogging campgrounds and spraying DDT. I just this weekend watched an entitled camper clean and wash out his cassette toilet at the fresh water spigot used by campers to wash their dishes ! By. The way there was a dump station just across the road !

[Mat]

Thank you all for the constructive feedback

[Blackhat6mike]

Several of the state parks in GA and FL that I have stayed in have gray water dumps on site. Just left Mistletoe State Park in GA and it had gray water dumps on the sites.

[djeirlessr]

It is different with boats. Boats I'd say from 28' and above only have a "black tank". Galley and shower water all go into whatever body of water they are in.



Duane
2011 Toyota Tundra V8 iForce 5.7 381HP 4.10 gears 6 speed automatic

2016 Crusader 295RST FW

[northstar1960]

i will leave my grey open when camping with no hook ups . mostly in remote places never in Campgrounds . nothing wrong with grey water . mostly just soap and water toothpaste etc . nothing to hurt the environment . Soap will even help grass not hurt it . Black tanks are another story always dump in approved dump sites or septic tank

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by djeirlessr

It is different with boats. Boats I'd say from 28' and above only have a "black tank". Galley and shower water all go into whatever body of water they are in.



Duane
2011 Toyota Tundra V8 iForce 5.7 381HP 4.10 gears 6 speed automatic

2016 Crusader 295RST FW

Most boats that i've been on do not have any holding tanks other then fresh water . all goes in the the water . I know of thousands of house boats on the Mississippi all toilets dump in the river same with salt water fishing boats i've been on

[Bear fans]

We use the towable blue boy. Yes it does take up space in the back of my truck but it's very handy.

[dannyabear]

I am a proud member of the 'don't ask, don't tell' group...........

[EDABEUT]

We are in the blue cart group. I figure that we bought this TT so we have our own bathroom facilities and not have to use the cg ones. I figure it's a small price to go dump the gray water every few days. The new cart designs make it very easy to hook to truck and tow to the dump station hook up hose and pull valve then flush out tank and tow back. I bought a large one so it will hold a full gray tank and I haul it in the back of truck. Yes it does take up a lot of room but I am using my own bathroom in TT.

[Butch Wilson]

If I see you dumping grey water on the ground in a National Park campground I will call you out and the Ranger will be notified ! Yes the rules do apply to you !