Dump danger

Papadave · 10-05-2020, 07:22 AM

Covid is readily detected and spread? In sewage. I’m scared of dump stations where you are in contact with everyone.

eye95 · 10-05-2020, 07:33 AM

COVID is a real danger. A small fraction of folks who come into contact with it will have symptoms. A small fraction of those will get really sick. A small fraction of those (mainly folks who already know that they are at particular risk) will die.

I am choosing to live my life without fear. I won’t be a COVIDphobe.

Jim34RL · 10-05-2020, 08:08 AM

If you are that worried about dump stations than use full hook-up sites were you are the only one at that dump site.
I and my DW travel and stay at RV sites with full hook-up sites and have had no issues this year.

Homebrew · 10-05-2020, 08:18 AM

I don’t think dumping sewage is an issue, most of us use rubber gloves or disposable gloves.
The area that has been a issue before COVID and now would be the fresh water supply on all full hook up sites. I’ve seen many people wash/rinse there sewer hose from the faucet. Splashing it all over the faucet.
I know many of us never hook up the fresh water with gloves on.
On my last trip I watched two RVers just stick the hoses down in the 4” sewer pipe and handle the hose without gloves and use the fresh water faucet to rinse.
But on another campground the maintenance team sprayed down all the water,sewer and electric areas with a cleaner before the next person.

**KyDan** · 10-05-2020, 08:21 AM

There's plenty of stuff to worry about at a dump station- not just covid. (think e coli for one. there are others.)

Wear a mask.
Use disposable gloves.
If you're really concerned- wear goggles or a face shield.
Also disposable booties might come in handy at a particularly nasty dump station.

(I once pulled out my hose and the metal cap slammed shut on the dump and splashed my face! GASP, gag,)
I'm extremely watchful for that now and wear glasses but haven't moved to goggles yet.
Take precautions and carry on!

It's not going to stop me from camping.

TitanMike · 10-05-2020, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

There's plenty of stuff to worry about at a dump station- not just covid. (think e coli for one. there are others.)

Wear a mask.
Use disposable gloves.
If you're really concerned- wear goggles or a face shield.
Also disposable booties might come in handy at a particularly nasty dump station.

(I once pulled out my hose and the metal cap slammed shut on the dump and splashed my face! GASP, gag,)
I'm extremely watchful for that now and wear glasses but haven't moved to goggles yet.
Take precautions and carry on!

It's not going to stop me from camping.

Just think what plumbers go through on service calls.

Same for sewage treatment plant workers.

I heard some say they learn how to keep their hands away from their faces, learn how to spit, and all probably have been immunized for Hepatitis and other filth born diseases.

As for the earlier suggestion to use only full hookup sites as you're the only one there, what about all the other people who used the site before over the years.

Tank dumping is part of RVing. Only way to avoid it is to hire someone to do it.

Papadave · 10-05-2020, 09:37 AM

Camping is a great choice at this time. My only reason for the post was for awareness of a potential source of infection. Many of us are in a high-risk group and risk aversion in all things is a personal choice. Mike’s comments re plumbers is a good one. More than one of my friends in that trade have fought Septicemia.

eye95 · 10-05-2020, 11:04 AM

Per WebMD:

“So can you really catch COVID-19 from touching a cereal box you bought at the supermarket, or a package delivered to your door?

It is theoretically possible, but highly unlikely, says Dean Blumberg, MD, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital. ‘You'd need a unique sequence of events,’ he says. ‘First, someone would need to get a large enough amount of the virus on a surface to cause infection. Then, the virus would need to survive long enough for you to touch that surface and get some on your hands. Then, without washing your hands, you'd have to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.”

Don’t touch your face with your hands after dumping until you wash them. We all do that anyway, right?

TitanMike · 10-05-2020, 11:56 AM

Here we are all worrying about a dump station yet how many think about things we often touch every day.

Here's a list and explanation:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/...ouch-every-day

Funny thing, toilets and dump stations aren't on the list

You might be amazed at the items that are and what they offer in the form of nasty stuff.

latner · 10-05-2020, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye95

COVID is a real danger. A small fraction of folks who come into contact with it will have symptoms. A small fraction of those will get really sick. A small fraction of those (mainly folks who already know that they are at particular risk) will die.

I am choosing to live my life without fear. I won’t be a COVIDphobe.

X100

**KyDan** · 10-05-2020, 12:44 PM

There is lots of talk about getting covid when it's airborne.
A commercial toilet with a vigorous flush can be bad.
Also any time you're splashing water at the dump station.
That's why a mask and eye protection are a good idea.

Homebrew · 10-05-2020, 01:05 PM

Great thought/ suggestion, wearing a mask while dumping sounds like a good idea !
It is a great area for needed extra protection.
I guess the big point here is not everybody feel the same way about how to reduce the spread of any issue. So you need to look out for yourself if you don’t want to get sick.
I’m not a sanitary freak but I have been amazed at how nasty people are when it comes to dumping stuff.

**KyDan** · 10-05-2020, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homebrew

I’m not a sanitary freak but I have been amazed at how nasty people are when it comes to dumping stuff.

Yep.
Not trying to derail this thread but here I go.... once saw a guy (deer hunter I think) pull up to the dump station in a national forest. He apparently didn't have a hose so he got as close as he could and just held the dump station open with a rock and pulled his black tank handle and jumped back.
You can imagine what was left all over when he finally pulled away. It's something once you've seen it, you can never un-see it.

Papadave · 10-06-2020, 09:01 AM

Can’t disagree with anything posted here but enough said. Sewer vapor was a major issue with the SARS epidemic. Not proven with Covid. But what is, for sure. Meanwhile my idea in posting was simply a word to the wise. I can camp with social distance not so with dumping. Contacting no one in the first case potentially contacting everyone in the other. I’m using my home sewer which is a vacuum sewer. (There is not much downhill in Florida) Thanks for being civil and apolitical. Be safe and camp on.

NavyLCDR · 10-06-2020, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

If you are that worried about dump stations than use full hook-up sites were you are the only one at that dump site.
I and my DW travel and stay at RV sites with full hook-up sites and have had no issues this year.

Except for the previous campers that vacated the site the same day you arrived....

Martsing · 10-06-2020, 09:25 AM

Accidents happen at dump stations and the the very LEAST of my worries is COVID. Just last weekend we were at Pt Lookout State Park here in Maryland. It was a "one hole" dump station and we were one of the first that morning. I was taking the standard precautions; gloves, shoes, careful process etc. The Black tank dumped with no problem. The grey tank however, dumped half and then we had a back up from the hole. I would close the grey and let it slowly go back into the hole then pull it again for a minute. I was unable to completely empty the grey. We had nasty water bubbling up around the ground connection. I gave up and let what was on the ground drain. Then I used THEIR hose to rinse the area. I also used THEIR hose rinse my own equipment. I heard that the rangers later opened a full hook up pull through site for the morning dumps

I have to say though, as the brown water was coming up COVID was NOT on my mind.

Use precautions, have a solid process and be prepared for the unexpected!

Marty

TheWolfPaq82 · 10-06-2020, 09:37 AM

Have to look to be sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if the chem's in your black tank kill anything in there. Also, most of what you're passing, is dead cells being flushed from your body. I had it, 5 days of an annoying fever for a couple hours late at night. I was back to work in 10 days. For me ? Pneumonia was 10X worse than this was.

Wannabe123 · 10-16-2020, 11:16 PM

I’m in the insurance field and COVID 19 is the baby virus of concern. Per the last insurance law journal article the concern is cov-20 that is now out there. Live life or be chicken-little? I live life but everyone has their own fears so go dump those tanks and laugh while enjoying your freedom to do so ��

The insurance implications arising from the new study reporting that SARS-COV-20 can remain for 28+ days

GravelRider · 10-17-2020, 03:02 AM

There is no Covid-20. Stop fear mongering.

GravelRider · 10-17-2020, 03:13 AM

To date, there have been no confirmed cases of Covid spreading from feces to a person (though we do know that we shed this virus in our fecal matter). Is it possible? Sure. Likely? No. When dumping, you should, at a minimum, be using gloves and practicing good hand hygiene afterwards. Glasses and mask are a good idea as well, as you never know when you'll have an unexpected splash. I'm much more worried about E. coli than I am Covid at a dump station. I'm also much more worried about Covid going through a drive thru than I am at a dump station. As far as Covid goes, a dump station is a low risk activity. FWIW, I am a physician.

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