Grey Water?

Wizardofoz · Guru

Grey Water?

GaryKelly · Guru

Mine's a bucket but I've only been on one trip so far to a free camp.

KFT · Guru

If they have there is usually a sign on the way in to advise of any restrictions. we have not used NP so cannot advise there.

at free camps we try to direct our grey onto the trees. If the area is bitumen we catch it in a bucket and then put it on the trees.

you will find inconsiderate people who will just let it run anywhere and if a few of them do that there is often a muddy mess left behind

We are thinking of getting ourselves a grey water container with wheels so we will comply if an area we want to stop in is self contained only. I was looking at one approx. 25 litres so it isn't too heavy.

hope that helps

frank

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We have a grey water tank, and close it if on bitumen, concrete or at a place just overnight. We will use a bucket to catch it as well - we have lost our grey water hose, and keep meaning to get a new one - but you know how it is - very low on the priority list, I'm afraid. Grey water directed to a tree or garden is usually acceptable at most places, we have found.

shekon · Guru

Here at Edenhope CP, I placed the grey water hose on the gully trap for disposal.
The park owner came and put it on the lawn and moves it regularly and the grass is all nice and green around the vans.

brian · Guru

Most places don't have a problem with local disposal provided it is done sensibly. There are some spots with signs requiring on board holding tanks and this could be taken to preclude a separate bottle that you simply let the waste run into. I have no knowledge of that having been tested. I have a fitted tank on our van, and if staying in one spot for a while, I run a hose to a good spot and just crack the drain tap slightly so that water comes out slowly and can be better absorbed over hours rather than minutes

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Very few NP campgrounds have drains, we have always collected grey water in a bucket and disposed of it near trees or bushes. Kitchen scraps can be filtered using a bit of old stocking (who wears those anymore!?) Its very important to keep grey water away from water courses or lakes.
Also its anti-social to let it become a patch of mud right in the middle of the campsite where somebody else might want to camp.

copper1 · Guru

Due to heading to Tassie at the end of this week, and researching a lot of the free or low cost camps that we are going to stay at they stipulate self contained vehicles? So we got one of these off ebay.

Portable Wheel Water Tank Camping Motorhome Caravan Storage Waste Transport 40L

rosco532 · Senior Member

When we had our Motorhome in NZ we used to filter it with muslin cloth and recycle it to use as black water....if we had to much we tipped it around trees

native pepper · Senior Member

We follow the leave no trace policy, carry all our grey and black water to dump points or other acceptable disposal places, which there are many. All you have to do is contact the local council or town and they will direct you to a satisfactory place. The number of times you arrive at popular camp sites to find soapy greasy smelly water lying around, is increasing dramatically, as is the number of camp sites which are signed or promoted as fully self contained camping only.

Many councils are introducing fines and penalties for the dumping of grey water any where in their area's, except at designated dump points. Some are free, some a small charge. With the increasing number of vans getting on the road, it's understandable

Big Gorilla · Guru

copper1 wrote:
Due to heading to Tassie at the end of this week, and researching a lot of the free or low cost camps that we are going to stay at they stipulate self contained vehicles? So we got one of these off ebay.

Have found it on E-Bay but can't see any dimensions. Would you mind giving them to me. My MH is having an extra solar panel fitted at present and I wanted a grey water tank fitted. Unfortunately there is no more room underneath, so this little baby might do the trick...

Ontos45 · Guru

Big Gorilla wrote:
copper1 wrote:
Due to heading to Tassie at the end of this week, and researching a lot of the free or low cost camps that we are going to stay at they stipulate self contained vehicles? So we got one of these off ebay.

Have found it on E-Bay but can't see any dimensions. Would you mind giving them to me. My MH is having an extra solar panel fitted at present and I wanted a grey water tank fitted. Unfortunately there is no more room underneath, so this little baby might do the trick...

Product dimension : approx 800 (L) x 370 (W) x 220 (H) mm
Fresh Water Capacity 40 Litres
Product Weight approx 4.1 Kg
Package Weight 5.1 Kg

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Portable-Wheel-Water-Tank-Camping-Motorhome-Caravan-Storage-Waste-Transport-40L-/261094907227?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3cca781d5b

jetj · Guru

Thanks for the tip, great idea. It's looking like more and more areas are demanding self containment.

Big Gorilla · Guru

Thanks for that Peter and Sue. I have all the detail now to consider a purchase. My problem is storage when actually travelling, so have to look at it closely...

Mr B2 · Senior Member

There is nothing worse than a Big Mudhole where some ones Grey water is just running on the ground,

Thats why the councils are cracking down on Free Camping,

Its Unsightly, Unhealthy, Do you do it at your home,

Foot Prints are all you leave,

dorian · Guru

I wash my dog in the backyard on the lawn. I have asked about the ingredients of the dog shampoos that I use and have been assured that they are derived from natural sources. Therefore I don't believe that they will have any negative environmental impact. What do other dog owners do when freecamping or staying in caravan parks?

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Not just that, there's nothing worse than camping in tent and being flooded out by someone's grey water!! It wasn't named after some particular nomads ? M/Ting out in garden or away from walkways is the thing to do..

the ginger nomad · Senior Member

Travelled to Broome via Central Qld,NT and home via the goldfields of WA last year. Approx 75% of caravan parks and all of the national parks we stayed at asked for grey water to be run onto their trees or grass.Only had problem at Derby where some Goose ran his grey water hose under the tent next to us! They were "not happy Jan."
John

The dog lady · Guru

Mr B2 wrote:

There is nothing worse than a Big Mudhole where some ones Grey water is just running on the ground,

Thats why the councils are cracking down on Free Camping,

Its Unsightly, Unhealthy, Do you do it at your home,

Foot Prints are all you leave,

Actually, YES. City people may think water comes out of taps, but at home I only have the water I can catch and store and would not dream of wasting perfectly good garden (grey) water. Water is precious and the plants don't mind if I've used it first. I've never thought wet soil looks unsightly, in fact I look forward to seeing it that way at the end of every dry season!

-- Edited by The dog lady on Tuesday 21st of January 2014 06:14:39 PM

native pepper · Senior Member

It can be a dilemma trying to work out what and what you can't put into the environment safely, so we don't use anything that may harm the environment, us or our canine cruisers.

Our dogs are brushed before they go out of the bus and before they come back in. At home they go for swims in the sea and garden dams. They also get warm washed at certain places with organic herbal and olive oil soap, which we make ourselves ans save a lot of money. Their diet is also important when travelling, as they don't have the freedom they have at home. So their diet is the same as ours, with their natural extras.

Nelly · Guru

I camped at the Kidman Park at Bourke once and the fellow in the caravan next to me let the water go out of his storage tanks - there was a lot of water - pity help the next people that came on that site - it was a fairly ordinary act I thought.

Cruising Granny · Guru

This year it's expected SA will enforce grey water tanks on motorhomes, as NSW has done for a while. There's no expectations of caravan disposal.
I replaced the grey water tank under my Sprinter with another fuel tank. I need diesel more than I need or produce grey water.
The portable tank looks like the way to go.
To use the water on vegetation it's wise to make sure you're using suitable detergents and other cleaning products, as well as personal body washes rather than soaps.
The detergent will also help non-wetting soils absorb the water and keep some bugs away.
Now I think I'd still prefer the smell of old dish water than truckie toilet smell on parking bays. On a hot day, ..... well.........
It's not so bad if the parking bay is unsealed, but a sealed parking bay can be an experience which could bring tears to your eyes in the heat of the day. Phew!

tiger5 · Senior Member

I remember a couple of years back when our dams were real low. We were told to run a hose from our washing machine onto our lawns & garden by the people in the Gov.

Can someone tell what has changed. I agree with not dropping it on hard standing but into the bush. confuse confuse confuse confuse

Mr B2 · Senior Member

The dog lady wrote:
Mr B2 wrote:

There is nothing worse than a Big Mudhole where some ones Grey water is just running on the ground,

Thats why the councils are cracking down on Free Camping,

Its Unsightly, Unhealthy, Do you do it at your home,

Foot Prints are all you leave,
Actually, YES. City people may think water comes out of taps, but at home I only have the water I can catch and store and would not dream of wasting perfectly good garden (grey) water. Water is precious and the plants don't mind if I've used it first. I've never thought wet soil looks unsightly, in fact I look forward to seeing it that way at the end of every dry season!

-- Edited by The dog lady on Tuesday 21st of January 2014 06:14:39 PM

I dont know where you got the City person from, I had tank water for years here before I ever had tap water,

Councils wont allow Caravans to be parked on site for more than 3 months when Building, Why, They used to have this Green Slimy Trench away from their caravans,

And there is difference between moving a hose around so it doesnt become a soak,

And a big slosh hole That gets up every ones nose,

JayDee · Guru

shekon wrote:
Here at Edenhope CP, I placed the grey water hose on the gully trap for disposal.
The park owner came and put it on the lawn and moves it regularly and the grass is all nice and green around the vans.

Totally agree with this park owner.

Nothing nicer than having green grass or healthy trees around you.

Jay&Dee

george57 · Senior Member

Although I have grey water tanks, I will generally run the hose towards "those and them" that feel that they have to pull up right next to me, when there is ample room to park elsewhere, then I will have a shower that night and try to mud up the place. Nothing said......no confrontation.....but maybe they will think twice next time about camping too close!!!

-- Edited by george57 on Wednesday 22nd of January 2014 04:03:27 PM

-- Edited by george57 on Wednesday 22nd of January 2014 04:04:40 PM

jules47 · The Happy Helper

George57 - they probably feel safe camping next to you and the ferocious watchdog - Fatdog!!!!!!

KFT · Guru

and could be really great happy hour companions

and you flood them out!

nice one(not)

frank

NeilnDi · Member

rosco532 wrote:
we used to filter it with muslin cloth and recycle it to use as black water

Hey Rosco, this sounds like a great idea... what about soap/shampoo chemicals ending up in the loo? I guess this shouldn't be dumped in a lot of toilets on the roadside though?

Cheers,

NeilnDi