Update of the Grey Water issue

CLAZZA · Member

Update of the Grey Water issue

kiwijims · Guru

CLAZZA wrote:
I'm somewhat okay with the principal of the idea, but what happens to a person with an external shower. How do they stay within this concept or what do they have to do ??
Also with your tank full, were are you going to dump it correctly in the outback ?
These ideas have merit but has anyone really thought this through !!!
If some one knows a site, so I can gather more information, it would be great.
All for Keeping Oz Beautiful..
Clazza

Howdy Clazza, Welcome to the Forum,

This write-up might shed some light on the storage and disposable of Greywater for you.............

http://www.atcmcc.org.au/newsitem.php?pagename=home&page=8&newsid=doingrig

K.J.

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

After reading the linked article I'm somewhat bemused that it made a specific point of stating that "if you are allowed to discharge your grey water on the ground and you it stored in a tank do not let it out all at once but by a drip feed."

Personally I'm of the opinion that once a grey water tank is full it should NOT be discharged on the ground anywhere because by the time the tank is full the water is now putrid unless it was been treated, but must be emptied at a dump point.

Even though I have been wrestling with this whole dilemma for some time I for one have still not sorted out what to do for the best. :(

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Outside shower is not the same as sink where milk and food waste could be added..
I empty grey water away from built up areas.. Or at dump point ...

jules47 · The Happy Helper

One problem with emptying grey water into dump points, is that some of them are only connected to septic tanks - which requires them to be pumped out on a regular basis, ie. the one at Port Augusta RV Park - has to be emptied every two weeks - costs the club money, which the donations to stay help with, as well as the $3 for using the dump point if you are not staying in the RV park.

In this instance, if all who used the dump emptied their grey water as well as their black water, into the dump point, it would be full in half the time, and thereby possibly have to be emptied every week, doubling the cost to the club.

We usually head down a track somewhere and let it go there, where there is no one around to worry about it! I put some nappy soaker into the grey water tank if we are containing at a camp. Seems to help with smells etc.

rockylizard · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Outside shower is not the same as sink where milk and food waste could be added..
I empty grey water away from built up areas.. Or at dump point ...

Gday...

confuse I think it would be safe to suggest that the water used from having an outside shower in one of those handy liddle tents would NOT comply with the "grey water discharge rules".

Water from a shower is STILL grey water.

Jules - I fully see the problem for dump points that are to septic tank arrangements.

But your timeframe suggestion would be more like 20litres of 'black water' every four days ... and 60litres (or more) every week .... given the numbers that camp at some of these 'self-contained' free rest areas ... the 'dump point' would be overflowing very quickly - definitely requiring pumping more than just once a week. hmm cry

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 08:01:08 PM

Jamjar · Senior Member

Now I know nothing about grey water as such, but I am wondering: if it is poop free then wouldn't it be good to let it go onto the parched earth away from towns, assuming it would be chemical free.

J.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

We've used our outside shower on the grass .. After a few days its green . Yes if there's only clay or soft soil no we don't ..
Same with dump points .. So far the ones I've used are ok.. Or drop it off in grass when free camping where some water won't do any harm..

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 08:13:27 PM

brickies · Guru

Jules you are spot on about Septic and needing pumping out . Last year when I was at Lake Elpiningstone , A very large Tanker arrived and started pump out the Septic tanks , Ask him where he was taking it and he said it was going back to Mackay Sewerage station to be to be treated , And that is his only job for the day Mackay to Lake Elpiningstone pump out the storage tanks and back to Mackay , Now if the grey water start going into these tanks has well much bigger cost to Ratepayers , I think it wont belong till we see cost placed on a lot of these free camps .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

The places I have been are in council grounds through info centres..
Asking what where when is best as all places vary..

KFT · Guru

At some saleyards (I think now called livestock exchanges!!!) there is often a facility for stock trucks to wash out the black water from the trailer which may then go into a sewerage or some effluent disposal system located near the site.

Would disposal of a cassette contents be ok at one of these?

just asking because I am not sure.

frank

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Trouble is they are not all the same .. In country at times stock yards are close or near to recreation grounds.. The one in Bendigo is different to Lithgow for example ...

Baz421 · Guru

KFT wrote:
At some saleyards (I think now called livestock exchanges!!!) there is often a facility for stock trucks to wash out the black water from the trailer which may then go into a sewerage or some effluent disposal system located near the site.

Would disposal of a cassette contents be ok at one of these?

just asking because I am not sure.

frank

I was told to use one (for grey water) by locals somewhere South of Roma 2 years ago,,, ah memory lapse and because we stayed in town OK to wash van and truck there.

The water was recycled or partially recycled I think.

-- Edited by Baz421 on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 09:00:03 PM

Baz421 · Guru

greyhoundtom wrote:

Personally I'm of the opinion that once a grey water tank is full it should NOT be discharged on the ground anywhere because by the time the tank is full the water is now putrid unless it was been treated, but must be emptied at a dump point.

Even though I have been wrestling with this whole dilemma for some time I for one have still not sorted out what to do for the best. :(

Tom I'm surprised you are still wrestling with this when those of us who are a bit older can attest to grey water being kept in tanks, pits in the ground etc and then used on veggie gardens around houses.

I and others on a previous post with experience in this "technology" (plant food) have NEVER heard of any problems.

Jamjar · Senior Member

I'd be super happy to have some travellers come and dump their grey water on my garden during the summer months. :)

J.

Moonraker · Senior Member

Clazza,
If you are looking for a net site to get some idea of what is a sensible approach to grey water then google Australian Caravan Club, ACCESS scheme.
But you should dispose of grey water as requested by the camp site owner and if in the bush only dispose of it to a place where others after you are not likely to camp so not leaving a soggy patch of ground. In this case a long hose or bucket would be the go. It would also be a very good idea to use only biodegradable soaps and not to leave solids such a food waste on the ground.
I for one think you are correct if wondering what to do for the best with stored grey water once the tank is full there being just about as many issues if not more of storing grey water in holding tanks as letting it go sensibly.
Happy travels.

Very happy camper · Veteran Member

Hi Glazza

The disposal of grey water is a grey area ( sorry about that bad pun )

The way I see it there are many different rules and you have to follow the rules that apply to your situation.

In a caravan park the management can stipulate that it OK to let the GW run on to lawns and trees. They can also stipulate that it is not . Often the local shire council tells the caravan park what is acceptable Often the Caravan Park make up their own mind.

In a campsite under management from either the Shire Council or a Government Body, the rules can be made to conform by that particular Body.

In all cases the Body responsible for the camping site can stipulate the rules about GW.

If there is a conflict such as one Body saying you can dump GW on the ground and another Body saying no you cannot because of pollution to a catchment area then the Bodies have to sort it out.

Meanwhile us campers have to check on what the rule is at the campsite and comply with that and if you do not agree I guess you could get in touch with the Council or whoever and question the rule.

A lot of campsites have no ruling or mention of Grey Water so you have the responsibility of dumping it as hygienically as possible to other users of the campsite and the environment.

Desert Dweller · Guru

We stayed at the very popular ''Warrawong on the Darling'' near Wilcannia for 6 nights recently. There's a row of about a dozen sites adjacent to a delightful billabong. Every person that camped there threw their sullage hose down the embankment to drain into the billabong. We noticed that different from our visit last year there was a ''green algal scum'' floating around. Well, it used to be a delightful billabong. There's a sullage point for each site but no-one uses them?

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Hi Keith. What these guys were doing at the billabong is disgusting !!

If there were no sullage points, then maybe onto the grass and trees away from the water, but there is no excuse when there is sullage points - dirty buggers !!

Desert Dweller · Guru

Bruce and Bev wrote:
Hi Keith. What these guys were doing at the billabong is disgusting !!

If there were no sullage points, then maybe onto the grass and trees away from the water, but there is no excuse when there is sullage points - dirty buggers !!

We saw people come & go every day for a week, all of them staying just one night. Everyone did the same thing! We were pretty disgusted but opted keep the peace by saying nothing. The disappointing thing was that the billabong had lots of wildlife in it like Turtles, Spoonbills, Egrets & Frogs.

They won't be there much longer if everyone empties their sullage hose into the billabong.

No Fixed Address · Veteran Member

Hi Folks,

I'm a bit confused with the grey water thing, I can understand don't put it directly into waterways, but as a kid I remember washing water was collected during dry times and used on the garden and lawn. Now even more so with environmentally friendly detergents I still can't see a major problem unless it's a case of thoughtless inbreeds leaving soggy patches for someone to walk through in camping areas. Be that as it may, we are just ordering a van, so is it better to order one with a grey water tank or put one on myself later if it is really needed? As I am not sure how big this grey water issue really is and like most of us I don't want to spend money unnecessarily. Thanks for your thoughts.

brickies · Guru

I think where the biggest problem with Grey water is when people are camping on Bitumen surface in built up area in town or close to town and drop Grey water on the road from shower and washing machine on the parking area and it has no where to drain to and makes a big puddle , Else where don't think there is much of a problem always use the food strainer in the sink to trap food waste .

Very happy camper · Veteran Member

A lot of confusion is caused by the terms self sufficient or leave no trace. These are terms for rules that an organisation has applied to their campsite. Again different bodies can term one thing self sufficient and another body say it is not self sufficient All we can do is find out what the owner or manager of the campsite considers to be self sufficient and your vehicle either complies or not, again different terms and rules for different campsites.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

brickies wrote:
I think where the biggest problem with Grey water is when people are camping on Bitumen surface in built up area in town or close to town and drop Grey water on the road from shower and washing machine on the parking area and it has no where to drain to and makes a big puddle , Else where don't think there is much of a problem always use the food strainer in the sink to trap food waste .

Brickies - stayed at one very popular camp in Victoria, lush green grass, next to a river. Trouble was the lovely green grass was, in parts, a mess of oily, greasy sludge! The camper must have been there for a while, and I noticed at the same camp, several other greasy spots on the grass, was a bit smelly near it as well. We have a grey water tank on the motorhome, and only contain water if it is the rule where we camp.

CLAZZA · Member

Thanks !!! Everyone for your info......Clazza

Santa · Guru

Very happy camper wrote:
A lot of confusion is caused by the terms self sufficient or leave no trace. These are terms for rules that an organisation has applied to their campsite. Again different bodies can term one thing self sufficient and another body say it is not self sufficient All we can do is find out what the owner or manager of the campsite considers to be self sufficient and your vehicle either complies or not, again different terms and rules for different campsites.

The CMCA policy defining "Self contained vehicles" is straight forward and easy to understand.

The vehicle shall be fitted with a fresh water tank.
The vehicle shall be fitted with an installed and plumbed sink.
The vehicle shall be fitted with a proprietary brand toilet (as approved by standards Australia)
The vehicle shall be fitted with waste tank or tanks to receive the waste water and sewerage from all permanently installed installed fixtures.

All pretty easy to understand, you either meet the criteria or you don't. smile

03_Troopy · Guru

Santa wrote:
Very happy camper wrote:
A lot of confusion is caused by the terms self sufficient or leave no trace. These are terms for rules that an organisation has applied to their campsite. Again different bodies can term one thing self sufficient and another body say it is not self sufficient All we can do is find out what the owner or manager of the campsite considers to be self sufficient and your vehicle either complies or not, again different terms and rules for different campsites.
The CMCA policy defining "Self contained vehicles" is straight forward and easy to understand.
The vehicle shall be fitted with a fresh water tank.
The vehicle shall be fitted with an installed and plumbed sink.
The vehicle shall be fitted with a proprietary brand toilet (as approved by standards Australia)
The vehicle shall be fitted with waste tank or tanks to receive the waste water and sewerage from all permanently installed installed fixtures.
All pretty easy to understand, you either meet the criteria or you don't.

It also only applies to CMCA controlled camp sites.

Bill B · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:

We stayed at the very popular ''Warrawong on the Darling'' near Wilcannia for 6 nights recently. There's a row of about a dozen sites adjacent to a delightful billabong. Every person that camped there threw their sullage hose down the embankment to drain into the billabong. We noticed that different from our visit last year there was a ''green algal scum'' floating around. Well, it used to be a delightful billabong. There's a sullage point for each site but no-one uses them?

Park management can't be too vigilant ?

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within".

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within".

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross