Grey water?

[lostdreamer]

That is interesting. Do they find that they have any issues with the smells attracting animals? That is the most often cited reason why you can't dump your grey water in a campground here in the States.

I'm going to go with 'no', not so much because it doesn't necessarily, but because we simply don't have much in the way of problem wildlife. We don't need to worry about attracting bears/racoons/whatever because there arn't any.

I guess it might encourage rats, but rats are way more likely to end up in the rubbish bins than the hedge.

[UK4X4]

"Do they find that they have any issues with the smells attracting animals?"

we ate all our large animals years ago- you are lucky if you see a fox in todays england.

We have badgers which are probably the largest pesky critter we have left and its a protective species and usually only found in old woodlands or national parks.

[DesertBoater]

For general washing of hands and whatnot, I usually just wash them over the ground, and the amount of water is so small it doesn't have much of an impact. For disposal of dirty dish water, I have adopted the view that instead of digging a sump hole and then burying it (after straining out the solids) or flinging it as far and wide as possible, to pour it on the road surface (only dirt/gravel not paved...if paved there's a developed sump/drain somewhere) or campfire ring. My perspective is that the road surface/campfire ring is the most highly impacted area of almost any wild-lands we experience. I'd rather continue to impact an area that's already just sand/gravel/coals without anything living there, than dump my soapy, oily, greasy water all over the vegetation. Check out the Leave No Trace website. They have different lists of ethical practices for different bio-regions and climate zones...practices will be different in the Pacific Northwest than in Death Valley...

Cheers,
West

[fisher205]

National Parks require that you collect your grey water and dispose of it in acceptable locations. I use a collasible 5 gal. tank hooked up to mine (sink only). If not at national parks I dispose of it in the fire ring or if remote camping disperse it away from the camp site, especially in bear country.

[mervifwdc]

I've a 40 litre grey water tank, and it's barely enough. If we park outide someones house for example, it's nice to be able to have 2 showers, and do the washing up without splashing smelly grey water (and lets face it, it can be pretty smelly!). And 40 litres is pretty tight, I guess it's about 7 gallons or so?

If I'm camping genuine wild, I leave the valve open if I'm somewhere the water will drain, or disapate without causing upset to anyone or the environment.

Loads of places in mainland europe to dump such water, and Morocco is easy peasy - the camp sites like to you dump it on the little bit of vegitation they have...

Merv.

[grizzlyj]

Hi

Sorry for not revisiting this thread earlier

I would say there is no smell to attract animals after about an hour, 10mins and its mostly gone. I fully realise if there are big carnivores nearby different rules apply!

But, we've been parked up with friends for several weeks at a time in the past, living in our camper on their drive. So some cooking, two daily showers etc, with all grey water put on flowerbeds within 2-3 yards of the camper door. As long as there's topsoil (and so bacteria) there's no smell after a while. Even in Morocco one campsite also had the pleasure of us for 3 weeks, all grey water was put into the "bed" built up to water the olive trees we were next too, mostly sand, no smell after an hour or two.

There is of course a smell as it comes out of the tank, and leaving food particles where a following camper puts there tent is not something we would ever do. But if it smelt at all we would have disposed of it differently.

Jason