Campsite with no sewer hookups

Ranks · 07-30-2019, 08:05 AM

We are headed to a campground that doesn’t have sewer hookups at the sites. They have a dump station near exit, but that won’t help when we need to empty tanks during our stay. We’re in a Roo 19, which has 30 gallon tanks. I asked the campground if they have people come around to empty tanks for a fee, but they don’t do that. Is my only option to buy a holding tank and empty the tanks into that and take that to the dump station? If so, any suggestions on which portable holding tank to purchase? TIA.

**KyDan** · 07-30-2019, 08:12 AM

How are the restrooms at your campground???
We stay at mostly state parks and have no problem using their facilities for the heavy stuff and just use ours for those before bed and middle of the night tinkles. At that rate a week or more is no issue.

**ependydad** · 07-30-2019, 08:12 AM

You could also just not use your camper facilities. No waste water = nothing to dump.

I personally use a sewer bladder and a macerator pump. It’s an expensive setup but I can offload about 100g of waste water (gray and black) at a time. My rig is bigger with 2 gray and 2 black tanks, each at 42g.

https://learntorv.com/sewer-bladder/

If I bought a rolling tote, it would be a Barker.

**Iwritecode** · 07-30-2019, 08:13 AM

Depending on how many people you have and how long you stay, you may be able to get away with not dumping the tanks until you leave if you conserve your water usage.

Are there bathroom facilities in the CG itself that you can use?

If you do get a holding tank just remember that you also have to store it for travel. They come in many different sizes. I started with a thetford but switched over to Barker. I like the dump valve being on the side much better.

I have a 42 gallon but they come in smaller sizes. I really like the pneumatic wheels. The hard plastic wheels just make so much noise when you are pulling them.

https://www.amazon.com/Barker-30844-.../dp/B000OR18BE

Electra glide · 07-30-2019, 08:14 AM

I use a 42 gallon Barker.

upflying · 07-30-2019, 08:33 AM

The gray fills up far faster than the black.
I'd get a "tote" for the better smelling gray and lug it down to the dump station.

formerFR · 07-30-2019, 08:33 AM

options: ...depending on how 'long' you are staying there...

A) take the RV to the dump station, when needed

B) use a 'tote' and take IT to the dump station instead

C) don't use your tanks at all - use the local facilities, just like tent campers do

D) use very 'little' of your tanks, to get you through the whole time you are staying there

E) 'borrow' someone else's tote... they're all used for the same purpose, so no worries

F) find a used tote online

etc

etc

CedarCreekWoody · 07-30-2019, 08:58 AM

The grey usually fills the quickest. Learn to not use much water and teach the others to be conservative on usage. That can make a big difference.

gbaldwin · 07-30-2019, 09:06 AM

Agree with the many options stated. Personally, fooling with the tote would be my last option unless I could borrow one but I dont know about borrowing unless campground had one they let ppl use. Using CG facilities would be first choice. Not gonna say what many do with grey. ...

SlowrideHD · 07-30-2019, 09:06 AM

I have a Camco Rhino heavy duty 36 gallon tote. About $225 on Amazon. I would never ask, or even consider, using someone else's tote. Wouldn't loan mine out either. Sorry, not sorry.

Larry0071 · 07-30-2019, 09:09 AM

If they have a dump at the entrance you should be fine on a 30 gallon black tank for urine and solids and then shower in the camp supplied facilities. Just use the camper grey tank for dish washing and hand washing. Just minimize your in camper use.

The toilet does not use a lot of water, less than a gallon per flush. You pre-fill the bowl a few inches, do your biological thing, step and drop the waste, refill with a couple inches of water to create a gas seal. No need to stand there throwing water into the tank more than is required. Showering and the grey tank is the one that will take the abuse. Do not shower and 30 gallons of dishwashing and hand washing while being mind full of not running water unless needed means that 30 gallons of wash water is a lot.

When you go to leave, stop and do your black dump and your 3-5 black fills/dumps to clear out the residuals. Then do your soapy grey water dump, drain your remaining fresh water into the sinks to refill the grey tank and do a second grey dump and now your ready to hit the road home.

I am not planning to use the black tanks unless I am in a lot with sewage, or there is no other option to me similar to a campground provided restroom. I would also shower in that campground supplied facility if I were not into a sewage line.... or if I had no other choice.

**ependydad** · 07-30-2019, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlowrideHD

I would never ask, or even consider, using someone else's tote. Wouldn't loan mine out either. Sorry, not sorry.

In our group of friends, sharing totes and bladders is a common occurrence.

gbaldwin · 07-30-2019, 09:21 AM

Tip - do dish washing... outside.

bigmurph · 07-30-2019, 09:34 AM

We do a lot of 2 and 3 night trips without sewer. Never really had a problem. Be careful with water usage. We use hand sanitizer instead of soap especially for the kids because they seem to use more water to wash than we do. If the bathhouses are nice and clean then sometimes we take showers there and save the water for the kids to use our shower. Last thing, don't focus on the sensors for the tank levels. Our gray tank will show 2/3 after one or two showers. We will take 3 or 4 more and still not run out of space in the tank.

joeuncool · 07-30-2019, 09:36 AM

How long are you staying? Unless you are staying for weeks, you don't have much to worry about.

We mostly camp at campgrounds with no hookups. Our last trip this year was 5 days 4 nights with 6 people. Our tanks are 30 and 30. We didn't come close to filling the black tank. I can say that we also used the camp ground facilities as often as we used the camper. The black tank, which is what most people really worry about, does not fill as fast as you think. Not even close. We could have gone more than a week.

The grey tank fills much faster, especially with showers. We have filled a grey tank in 3-4 days with showers. This was not everyone showering every day. This was 2 showers total along with other normal sink usage.

Don't worry about your black tank. They grey tank will fill 2-3 times over before the black does. Get a tote for your grey or do a quick pack up and hook up and take the trailer to the dump station if needed.

Relax, enjoy the trip. I love the self contained idea of these campers. People dry camp/boondock in these things all the time and we are doing it in the lap of luxury.

rbq · 07-30-2019, 10:15 AM

We use the campground facilities as much as possible. Conserve water as much as possible. I was lucky enough to stop at a garage sale a few years back & a guy had a brand new, still in the box 15 gallon tote. Only wanted $20 for it. Bought that in a flash. Have only used it for gray water disposal. It has an attachment to hook it to your hitch & then you can slowly pull it to the dump station & empty it. Has worked well for us for that & that is having 8 staying in our Roo.

5picker · 07-30-2019, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranks

We are headed to a campground that doesn’t have sewer hookups at the sites. They have a dump station near exit, but that won’t help when we need to empty tanks during our stay. We’re in a Roo 19, which has 30 gallon tanks. I asked the campground if they have people come around to empty tanks for a fee, but they don’t do that. Is my only option to buy a holding tank and empty the tanks into that and take that to the dump station? If so, any suggestions on which portable holding tank to purchase? TIA.

The two BIG questions that have not been answered are... how many people... how long are you staying?

You may need to do one/some of the things suggested... you may not need to do anything.

TRD · 07-30-2019, 01:18 PM

Many campsite have dish washing stations. We use it for pots and pans, etc. Use paper plates and disposable utensils when we stay at electric only parks.

dahagen · 07-30-2019, 01:25 PM

In the Western USA most public campgrounds don't have full or even partial hook-ups. So many of the listed suggestions are handy. I do not know how these new RV's with AC refers and smooth stoves are going to survive without massive solar panels and large battery banks.

oldsmasma · 07-30-2019, 01:25 PM

We do 99 percent of our camping in Provincial Parks with hydro only. The shower houses are always spotless so no problem using them. I put a dishpan in the sink to do dishes and put 3 or 4 pans down the toilet. Only the two of us and we can easily go 5 or 6 days on our tanks.

You may also like: