Sink and Dumping 5 gallon gray water

[PODebbie]

For people who have put a small sink/pump and  either a 5/6 or 1 gallon gray water tank into their vehicle, are you happy with the set-up?  I have bush camped and hiked, brushing my teeth and spitting in the grass and weeds, but I'm not sure about being in a van.  On our maiden voyage, I cleaned dishes with paper towels and vinegar, so I don't need a sink for cooking or cleanup and we used a gym for showers  I was wondering about a small sink with either a gallon or 5/6 gallon gray water tank for face washing and teeth cleaning. Is it gross to empty it, or do you just take it into a restroom and dump it.  I'm sure with all the toothpaste, it would not be safe to the enviroment to dump a gallon at a time.  We will be doing a combination of urban camping, dry camping and campgrounds.  We live in Michigan and will be going to the northeast in summer and then either Florida or Arizonia in the winter.  We will only be going on 1-2 month trips because I can't leave the grandkids.   I bought a desk ($6) to use as the kitchen so it wouldn't be difficult to cut a hole for small sink.  We are only on our first temporary build.  So far, we have IKEA slat beds, plastic drawers, and, lugable loo, and the desk as a kitchen with the propane under and coleman stove on top.  So what do you think, sink or not?

 

[ckelly78z]

A gallon of water with a bit of face soap, and toothpaste isn't going to hurt anything by dumping it on the ground. You may have others who don't agree, and would say something if they witnessed the dumping, but just driving your vehicle around puts out far more toxins than diluted toothpaste.

 

[WanderingRose]

I agree with smaller quantities, 1 gallon or so vs 5-6.

Aside from sheer volume, the latter will be difficult to carry into a restroom and dump, weighing 40lbs or so, the former able to be done much more simply and discreetly.

 

[LoupGarou]

I removed the sink from my build to increase counter space. The sink was replaced with an enamel wash basin that I can place directly on the butane stove to heat up water to wash dishes or take a sponge bath.

The gray water is poured into my cassette toilet. The only time I pour gray water on the ground is to ensure my campfire is totally out before moving on.

 

[RoamerRV428]

dumping like toothbrush spit water and whatever, don't need a sink ever.
all ya got to think is your life in your van ever really gonna need a sink? you will sway one way or the other

 

[Plant]

I think dumping 1 gallon of grey water composed of primarily toothpaste is too much. Given that is primarily what you will be using it for, I think it is too concentrated. I imagine dumping it in an area that does not rain often like the desert, it would leave a film.

@RoamerRV428 - Yeah, I'm wondering if I need a sink too. I'm in the end stages of my van build. I have a counter designed with room for a sink if I ever need one, and a 23 gallon water tank, but I don't think I'm going to install a sink. Rather use the water through a pump for an outdoor shower. Teeth brushing and dish washing will be handled outside as will cooking most of the time. The more I think through it, the less I see a reason for a sink.

 

[travelaround]

I am not planning to have a sink - more likely, I'll use a metal bowl for a sink and have a big funnel to put on a 1 gallon jug for tooth brushing and collecting gray water from my sink-bowl. That sounds manageable. I can clean it with sprayed-on white vinegar and some kind of environmentally-friendly soap.

Here's a guide to environmentally-friendly dish soap.
https://www.ewg.org/guides/categories/5-Dishwashing

 

[Plant]

Thanks travelaround, great link. I'm always looking for non-harsh cleaners of all types for both environment and my own health. Some of that traditional stuff is downright toxic.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I have no issue at all with dumping my grey water, I have a pipe that runs directly outside from my sink onto the ground, by the rear tire, it kinda pools by the tire and no one notices till I drive away. When I am in an area where that is not appropriate or I am in a spot from a few days I stick a bucket under it and collect it then water a tree with it. I think grey water is good compost. What is in it food scraps a bit of toothpaste, I use biodegradable soap. The tree is usually very happy to have a flavoured drink.

 

[PODebbie]

Thanks for all the responses. I bought a 6 gallon water bottle from Walmart today. I think I will take it back. It will be too heavy if we get it full, and too much to clean if it is dirty. I also bought a long funnel with a top on it at Menards. I think I will use a one gallon jug with a funnel. I think I will use foil or sew a wrap around the gallon container so I don't have to look at the uglies. If we are urban camping, might be a couple of days till we can find a spot to dump. But, we will only be using the potty and funnel when we are not around any LA Fitness gyms. Bought a lugable loo today from Walmart and a $25 shovel from Army Surplus Store. The shovel folds and it will be put in storage in case we get stuck in the sand when boondocking. Now if we could only get the van back from the mechanic so we can move our setup from the dining room into the van

 

[maki2]

For tooth brushing if the idea of stinky water grosses you out make a little kitty litter bin setup for tooth brushing. Get a small countertop food waste bin that uses biodegradable bags and put walnut shell kitty litter some in the bottom of the bag. The walnut shell product is available unscented and is all natural but clumps nicely. Then once a day wrap it up and tie off the bag. Add it to your garbage bin or go out and dig a cat hole and shake out the contents then put the bag itself in the trash.

 

[Dingfelder]

I think dumping 1 gallon of grey water composed of primarily toothpaste is too much.  Given that is primarily what you will be using it for, I think it is too concentrated. I imagine dumping it in an area that does not rain often like the desert, it would leave a film.  

It would take quite a while to accumulate a gallon of tooth-brushing spit, by my lights.  I haven't seen anyone of the sizable number of people I've seen brushing their teeth do anything much different from me in regard to spitting toothpaste sludge.  I could, in some way, be wrong or ignorant in that regard.

However, even someone spitting a lot more toothpaste sludge (but wouldn't it therefore be more diluted and thus less "harmful"?) than me wouldn't fill up a gallon container quickly.  I'd have to think that anything else that diluted that sludge, from the water from canned beans and veggies to ... I dunno really? old soup you didn't want to drink? dishwater? ... would accumulate way more quickly and turn that toothpaste sludge into a minor component quickly.  I find it hard to even imagine hoarding months' worth of toothpaste sludge before emptying it.

 

[WanderingRose]

I like the idea of a metal pan that can be heated directly on the stove for dishes or sponge baths.  :shy:

 

[RoamerRV428]

yea it really boils down to personal needs and wants that you have to handle. Like olden days when I started tent camping, omg I 'bought the gear' ya know. Each year less and less came with me as I learned what comforts I wanted and ones I could easily do without. Everything less to have was wonderful. Just less junk around me at all times is a very good comfort level for me. More junk around me I feel more trapped LOL so over all these years I am on a bare bones minimal use of things I do have with me. BUT everyone has to decide what is super important to them and what just isn't. A 'real kitchen' type set up might be super important to one who wants a little handle on their cooking cause they enjoy it and not even a thought to another who would just cook a hot dog on a stick each night and call it a day.
Always go with what is very important to you and you can work from there.

 

[Weight]

If you use perfume, cologne, deodorant, wash with soap, use toothpaste, or hair stuff, you will get eaten by bears.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

For a sink I use the plastic bin I store my dishes in for the few times I actually need that much water to wash up after cooking.  My usual after meal cleanup consists of beagle pre-wash (he licks 'em clean), spray down with vinegar or bleach and water mix, and wipe with dishtowel or air dry; nothing to dispose of.

The appropriateness of disposal of grey water is totally dependent on the environment you are in: 

• in the desert the a cup of water emptied on a plant could be as much as the plant gets in a year and will adversely affect it.
• in the rainforests of the pacific northwest 5 gallons of water dumped discretely won't be noticed.

And please dump well away from any campsites and bodies of water.  Toothpaste and dishwater will attract undesirable rodents.  The National Forest Service asks that you strain out any food particles in your dishwater before dumping.

Be aware that many states consider dishwater sewage, so dump in small quantities discretely.

 

[VanFan]

My best ever sink has been an empty cat litter jug with a canning funnel.  The funnel is held on the handle with a velcro strap.  Outside, I usually set the jug lid in the funnel to keep flies out.  The usual water source is a one-gallon pump up sprayer with nozzle removed.  Great for rinsing the funnel after spitting toothpaste.  If washing dishes, I use the middle-sized bowl from those 3-bowls sets w/blue lids from Walmart.  It has a pour spout, I can set clean ones on the lid, and it snaps shut to hold soap and scrubby.


I am working on an inside sink from cheap, common materials, and will post details when done.

 

[VanFan]

The new sink is done.  Materials:

1. Sterlite box, 18 gal., gray (on hand; Walmart carries) with 2" hole cut in lid for sink drain and approx. 10" circle cut from lid to accommodate,
2. 6 gallon carboy (on hand; 5 gal water bottle w/b fine);
3. Perfect Pour Battery Powered Water Pump (uses 2 D batteries; great reviews vs. USB types; https://www.homedepot.com/p/Perfect-Pour-Battery-Powered-Liquid-Dispenser-Pump-77-01137/206069887);
4. 9" or 10" shallow stainless bowl (on hand) with 2" hole cut in center;
5. Stainless steel bar/RV sink strainer (EverFlow Junior Duo; Ebay $3 w/coupon.  Keeney has one on Amazon, too);
6. RV flexible drain https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Flexible-Camper-Drain/29764315.  Screws onto strainer.  Pulled off white piece on other end and fed hose into,
7. Empty cat litter jug to catch gray water (easily removed for outside use, too).

Lid with sink attached snaps on bin and holds everything in place, but lifts easily for service.  There is space on top for our hot water carafe.  Sink holds water nicely with strainer in and drains well.  So far, only drawback is no flow rate control.  Pump dispenses about a gallon per minute.

I will try to post pics.

 

[VanFan]

Sink pics (fingers crossed :shy: ):

 

[VanFan]

Pictures (hopefully):