DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
Grey water is an interesting subject. I suspect, without knowing, that most of the rules against dumping grey water start with the assumption that it has passed through the black water system, as is common in most RV's. (The usual rule is to dump black first and then grey to flush the system.)
The second reason is, of course, that you don't want a lot of closely spaced vehicles dumping grey water in a camp ground as you will quickly produce a smelly swamp.
And, finally, grey water may have bits of food and fecal material from washing dishes and showering.
With a composting toilet, aka, urine separating toilet, we do dump grey water in the bush, but never when close to water courses (other than storm drains) or other campers. In other words, only in places where we would be comfortable digging a cat hole.
Grey water will "age' gracelessly, so stuff that has been in the tank a while is more aromatic, especially in hot weather. (A shot of white vinegar helps a lot.)
As to mixing urine into your grey tank:
-- Not a problem if you then treat it like black water - no one can complain. (Never done it enough to see if it creates odor problems.)
-- You can arrange a valving system, but it is easy enough to simply dump a urine bucket into the shower drain, if, for example, you need an emergency dump.
Whatever you do, you want, ideally, at least two days autonomy, and, with two adults, that argues for a tank of at least one gallon. And a one gallon tank is small enough to dump in a public restroom without gagging everyone. (In contrast, for example, to a cassette toilet.)
In public areas, a pit (not chemical) toilet is great for dumping a composting toilet.
The second reason is, of course, that you don't want a lot of closely spaced vehicles dumping grey water in a camp ground as you will quickly produce a smelly swamp.
And, finally, grey water may have bits of food and fecal material from washing dishes and showering.
With a composting toilet, aka, urine separating toilet, we do dump grey water in the bush, but never when close to water courses (other than storm drains) or other campers. In other words, only in places where we would be comfortable digging a cat hole.
Grey water will "age' gracelessly, so stuff that has been in the tank a while is more aromatic, especially in hot weather. (A shot of white vinegar helps a lot.)
As to mixing urine into your grey tank:
-- Not a problem if you then treat it like black water - no one can complain. (Never done it enough to see if it creates odor problems.)
-- You can arrange a valving system, but it is easy enough to simply dump a urine bucket into the shower drain, if, for example, you need an emergency dump.
Whatever you do, you want, ideally, at least two days autonomy, and, with two adults, that argues for a tank of at least one gallon. And a one gallon tank is small enough to dump in a public restroom without gagging everyone. (In contrast, for example, to a cassette toilet.)
In public areas, a pit (not chemical) toilet is great for dumping a composting toilet.
