grey water

assasin · Newbie

grey water

goannaway · Veteran Member

I'm going to set the cat among the pigeons so to speak.

My interpretation of grey water is waste water from a sink or shower that has not been stored in any container for not longer but less that 24 hours and not been sealed from the air. After 24 hours it becomes Black water and need to be disposed of in a sewerage system as it is toxic. Even then if the holding tank is not total cleaned upon emptying any waste water entering the tank is Black water.

I await the flack

Paul

NeilandRaine · Guru

I don't think the problem is so much the grey water it self. I think the problem comes from people just letting the water pour out on the ground.
How often do you pull into a free camp in very dry weather to find the ground wet and boggy. We all know why.
Even in the most remote camp spot we use a bucket for grey water and empty it in the bush or run the sullage hose into the trees.

spida · Guru

Then there is the greasy mess left on sealed areas from the grey water. One time when the use of a bucket is VERY important.
I am told dropping the water on the soil encourages the ants so I presume it would make sense to use the sulage hose and direct the water well away form camping areas if possible.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

I agree with all of you lol. Its water that's made dirty from our clothing (and a bloody side cleaner than rain water in the cities nowdays - just look at how dirty your windows are after it rains) with some sort of cleaning powder. For the past few years now, manufacturers of dish washing liquid and washing machine clothes cleaners bang on about their products not being harmful to the environment and are bio degradable.
If youre free camping, water is very carefully used to conserve your supplies so not much cleaning agent is used - much less than if you were at home or in a CP.
But you do see big puddles of water sitting in free camp areas because people didn't used their sullage hose to put the water onto grass or native bush. Many dry area low cost camps encourage you to move your sullage pipes around so all the grass or the trees get water - something they don't often get from nature. These places have been doing this for many years now and the trees, bush and grass are very healthy

kandagal · Guru

I use a plastic bowl that fits in my sink for washing up. This gives me the choice of tipping the water into the sink & therefore into the grey water tank or I can carry it outside & tip it on a thirsty tree.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

unfortunately, so council rangers will inspect your vehicle for grey tanks and if not fitted - you have to move on - you can usually tell if this is the case as only motorhomes will be parked in these areas.

Kalgoorlie in WA has two great free 72 hr camps right in the centre of the city and adjoining trees. Supposed to be self contained and rangers turn up regularly, but apparently they don't get nasty and move you on unless theres a great puddle of liquid under or around your van. Theres also a free camp about 20 mins out of Kal - great area and can stay as long as you like

Hurls · Senior Member

Hi All,

I'm confused. Currently staying at a council van park and was actually told to just put the sullage hose on the grass or a convenient garden. This is not the first park where this happened, yet I am now hearing I can't give a thirsty tree in some remote free camp a drink!!! What more harm can it do than a constant stream of several heavy vans and tow vehicles constantlly compressing the ground?

Please explain!!

Cheers

Hurls

Henry1 · Veteran Member

I have been to many caravan parks where sullage points are provided and been asked by the park managers to not use them and run the grey water on the lawn /plants trees makes sense to me

Chris61 · Senior Member

All of the above posts make a valid point. One mistake I did notice was that most people have or use common sense. Common sense isn't that common.

Running grey water where it is wanted makes perfect sense

Keeping grey water contained for later disposal is necessary if that is what the revelant authorities want. Some recquire it kept within the confines of our van, others are more lenient and as long as it doesn't go on the ground they are happy.

I have personally seen a big motorhome pull up to a communal tap in a low cost site, hook up their hose, fire up the generator and proceed to do several load of washing. The result was a boggy mess for everyone else to negotiate to top up their vans as they left what was a very nice campsite.

At the end of the day if the sign says you must be self contained and you cannot comply with the rules, you will have to move on or look over your shoulder for the ranger to appear.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Depends on the soil? Sandy loam will drain while clay will hold water and be pita to drive, walk over , floods to other vans etc..

TommyG · Senior Member

Chris, You nailed it. "At the end of the day if the sign says you must be self contained and you cannot comply with the rules, you will have to move on"
The problem isn't the grey water it's the lack of courtesy from some that causes the problem. That, and I believe there's a push to the councils from the CP Assn that grey water may cause health issues and also may cause a dangerous puddle where someone could fall and then sue the council. Why? Well as we all know if all councils insist on self contained, there's only about 30% or less, that can comply.

Baz421 · Guru

goannaway wrote:
I'm going to set the cat among the pigeons so to speak.

My interpretation of grey water is waste water from a sink or shower that has not been stored in any container for not longer but less that 24 hours and not been sealed from the air. After 24 hours it becomes Black water and need to be disposed of in a sewerage system as it is toxic. Even then if the holding tank is not total cleaned upon emptying any waste water entering the tank is Black water.

I await the flack

Paul

Never heard that interpretation Paul. If we followed what you say we wouldn't have any grey water it would all be black - remembering the grey water that is ALWAYS trapped in the U traps (the airlocks to prevent kitchen sink/handbasin/shower smells returning inside the van).

No grey water tank is sealed from the air - they all need breathers and have air above the liquid level.

Phil C · Guru

Hi gang, and welcome to the forum assasin.

This has been discussed that many times, yet a solution has not appeared. I was told that with the arrival of washing machines in our vans grey water on the ground was a no no. Seems the washing powder has some nasty chemicals that damage ground water.

Its odd that some want grey water on the ground and others don't, we went to a council free camp where no water was to be put on the ground, it was dry and harsh, the grass was struggling with lack of water. On that same trip we pulled into a caravan park and told grey water on the ground please, except the washing machine which we were asked not to use as there were machines in the laundry (at $5 a pop). BTW the grounds, gardens and trees were lush and well watered in this park.

This has always been something I just don't get, its used water yes, but still a viable source for watering plants.

In places that have a no water on ground rule we empty the grey water into a 30 Litre drum and carry it to the dump point or under a dry tree.

Cheers

-- Edited by Phil C on Monday 22nd of June 2015 10:51:54 AM

Baz421 · Guru

Phil C wrote:
Hi gang, and welcome to the forum assasin.

This has been discussed that many times, yet a solution has not appeared. I was told that with the arrival of washing machines in our vans grey water on the ground was a no no. Seems the washing powder has some nasty chemicals that damage ground water.

Its odd that some want grey water on the ground and others don't, .

-- Edited by Phil C on Monday 22nd of June 2015 10:51:54 AM

Phil it will never be a one size fits all answer.

Years ago grey water was used extensively on the veggie patch by some people and the veggies loved it. Some harsher detergents in washing powders were extremely alkaline and burnt plants - however they were so highly diluted in many instances it didn't worry plants.

One of the main drawbacks with grey water is food scraps that smell and this can be overcome by a sink strainer quite easily (about $1 each), however grease can cause problems if it ends up on lawns etc, so most people put the water on garden or near trees to avoid this.

It seems to be a topic of discussion now as opposed to 5-6 years ago when common sense and the pride not to foul things for the next person was more noticeable.

I think the overall standards are slipping as to where waste is dumped - and yes some grey nomads figure in this statement.

Richo · Member

I have been to many outback parks and they activly encourage you to use the grey water on grass or grdens. Makes sense to me.

smile