Stealth grey water emptying?

[Weight]

I wish B would at-least get the facts correct about water and wastewater treatment.

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

I may as well add to the thread (which I've followed with interest) --- I've seen/heard of a few "innovative" methods of reducing or eliminating (smaller amounts) grey water besides those already mentioned. Most involve increased/creative evaporation and concentration of the remainder that eventually dumped conventionally (less useful in higher humidity environs). The two better suited for boondocking van dwellers I've seen involved a couple pairs of pantyhose suspended over the bucket/pan or an old washboard in the pan holding the grey water; both with a small water pump powered by a solar cell continuously keeping the pantyhose/washboard wet in the sun/air. In the most favorable circumstances almost an entire day's conservative amount of grey water could be eliminated that way (one man at Burning Man claimed 5-6 gallons/day --- which I find more than a little hard to believe, but ...).

The LEO's that have seen or heard about the "technique" have had no problem with it as long as there was no "spillage" and the remainder is disposed of properly; ... as far as I've known/heard anyway.

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

To add to the above if in a dry area you could.use.this as an evaporative cooling system. I do plan to double use some water, for instance shower/bathe then do first wash/soak for laundry. 1-2 gallon shower then add 1 gallon hot and soap to 5 gallon bucket and wash clothes. Rinse with lots of fresh water and hang to dry.

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[Ballenxj]

Top notch story, Wabbit. Maybe we can get this added as a sticky.

I'm not sure who's post made me laugh more, your's or Wabbit's.  

Wabbit, I'm sure you didn't think about this at the time it happened, but you effectively turned your grey water tank into a black water tank.

 

[rvpopeye]

Thirsty Boots , great idea thx for posting it here.

ZZZ , yours does a good job of reusing grey water but it also creates more !
Although , you get clean clothes.

 

[Svenn]

 Since pets can pee anywhere maybe a realistic looking large dog you fill with grey water and set next to a tree or hydrant.   

This made my day 


I'm not sure where some of you got the idea that I'm running around brazenly dumping copious amounts of grey water in the driveways of BLM officials and city council members or whatever.  I started this thread because I wanted to know how to dump in STEALTH if I had to.  Since I've set the requirement at no one noticing, there's no need to keep posting that it'll inevitably lead to the destruction of the vandwelling world.  If I ever were to go to a campground or BLM land etc, of course I'd comply with the rules 

 

[highdesertranger]

but the word stealth means you are trying to hide what you are doing. which would lead one to believe that it's not legal because you are trying to hide it. after all if it was legal why would you be hiding your dumping.
I am not saying you are dumping grey water illegally, but when you state that you want to do it stealth, it would seem to the casual reader here or to any authority that you are dumping illegally. which doesn't bode well for the rest of us.
any authority who might regulate us at RTR that reads on here that dumping grey water is perfectly fine because of(insert rational) is only going to make future gatherings more difficult.
I think(hope) that I can speak for the CRVL community and say CRVL does not condone illegal activities associated with this lifestyle.
highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

A lot of the reason I'm a hermit as much as possible is because things like legally pouring out a small amount of water is possibly going to cause another person who sees me to judge my behavior as improper because I live in a van, yet someone in a suit with a new car pours out several thermos full of who knows what a few parking spaces down and that is okay because they are just trying to keep it from spilling on their expensive seats while their dog pees on my tires and poops without it being picked up not to mention their ac drains and runs under my van making me appear worse to the other person watching from the other side. If we use public parking spaces legally we want to do so without being unfairly judged as doing something wrong by the general public is why questions and answers to these questions are important to us as a group. It would be great if someone knew exactly whats legal in what places and how it is enforced there but general statements are the best we can do. It appears evaporation is legal everywhere and several good ideas have been mentioned above, thank you. I think if you read the original post it stated " on pavement " The RTR is held on BLM land where there is little or no pavement and where there is you are not allowed to camp within a certain distance. I have been told it is illegal to dump grey water at the RTR, so maybe we as a group should consider displaying ideas like the ones above, maybe even on a larger scale to show the BLM and the community at the RTR better ways to deal with problems like these as it appears more and more people need to know. Don't just criticize and hide from problems but educate and improve the ways to deal with them. Honest answers are why people come searching forms like this one.

 

[slynne]

In my city, it would be legal to dump water from a grey tank into a storm drain unless it is one that goes directly to the river. It would be stealth for someone whose grey water drains directly under their van to park over the storm drain. The water would go right down the drain and no one would see it.

It is not legal to sleep in your vehicle although in practice it seems to be allowed. When I went over to my city council rep's house to talk to him about changing that ordinance he gives me the same answer he always gives me when I talk to him about designating off-leash dog hours at the park, "come talk to me when someone gets a ticket for it"

He has elaborated on his reasoning. Because there is a law forbidding overnight sleeping in vehicles, it encourages people to be discreet. When people are discreet, they are less likely to cause trouble. They will be quiet. It works too. There are a couple of people in town currently living in vans. They move locations frequently. They have their windows blacked out. They do not openly dump their tanks into the storm drain. Before I started watching Bob's videos I never noticed them but as soon as I knew what to look for, they became obvious to me. My city council rep told me that the police know there are people sleeping in vans on the street but most residents do not and that is how they like it. They wont bother them unless there is a complaint and as long as these guys remain discreet, there will be no complaints

 

[Weight]

I'm sure it is legal to dump gray water someplace in our country. But it is not legal to openly drain into a storm drain. It doesn't matter if they use the most environmentally safe products and never piss in the shower, or ever rinse dandruff. Eventually some one sees and someone complains. The original dumper has driven on. The next van dweller finds they are no longer tolerated and they have to move on. I, then, can't stop for a rest break at Wally World. And. Yes. It is all about Me.

 

[Cammalu]

I still have a house and all my grey water goes to a separate line than my septic. It comes out near my garden area which I love. I also can get giant 10-12" nightcrawlers if I dig near there and feed my bass who won't stop pooping in my pond no matter how I talk to them. I swim in the pond also [emoji15]


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[DLTooley]

If it is only for a short period there are alternatives. Sponge baths are very low water and baby wipes use zero.

 

[GotSmart]

Well Weight, That is narrow minded of you.  Dontcha know that their are privelaged peoples out dere dat dont need no stinkin rules???   :dodgy:

 

[Wabbit]

.... you effectively turned your grey water tank into a black water tank....

That's good and all, but which one can I safely drink? As it is now...well, you know, stomach pains.

To the topic at hand...
Is moderation something that is important here? Has anyone here not taken a p1ss behind a bush? LAWBREAKER! I do not think the people inquiring about this are dumping copious amounts of whatever. So many parking lots I see after a good rain have an oil sheen on them. Sure, don't dump your stuff on pretty flowers, blacktop parking lots, or whatever. Spread it out, if you get a ticket cuz you're a moron, pay the ticket. I have camped for years, people dump water(grey I imagine)in the bushes next to their camp, piss behind their pickups, and throw food scraps out towards the weeds\trees area. If you're reading this and you leave your house for any amount of time, you broke some law. Moderation seems to be a key factor here. I don't have grey water tanks, so I guess I can't speak to that. However, I can imagine I have tanks, I wouldn't just dump 20 gallons at once because there's so many dump stations around. I bought a shower shelter and have no problem taking a 2 gallon shower and letting it hit the ground. Confused roommate uses 3 gallons but I'm pretty sure she doesn't use soap, so she's better than me environmentally speaking. Smelly speaking she's way worse.

 

[DannyB1954]

but the word stealth means you are trying to hide what you are doing.  which would lead one to believe that it's not legal because you are trying to hide it.  after all if it was legal why would you be hiding your dumping.

When taking a dump in the wild using a cat hole, nothing illegal going on, although I do prefer to be stealth. Goes along with no need to give others too much information.

 

[DannyB1954]

I still have a house and all my grey water goes to a separate line than my septic.  It comes out near my garden area which I love.  I also can get giant 10-12" nightcrawlers if I dig near there and feed my bass who won't stop pooping in my pond no matter how I talk to them.  I swim in the pond also [emoji15]


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All depends on local laws. Where I am, it is illegal to water plants with grey water from a house. It has to go to the septic, or utility if connected. I guess the thinking is your laundry may be passing along skid marks, or perhaps people washing cloth diapers. 

Scientists change their minds all the time about what is acceptable or not. Often local laws are passed to financially advantage someone. 
One example if you build in my town and there are utilities in that area, you must hook up to them, even if your lot is large enough for a well and septic system. Utilities like making money every month. They make campaign contributions. Laws get passed in their favor. Go figure.

 

[bullfrog]

The canvas evaporation water bags kept the water cool but only used a small amount of the contents to cool. I would be surprised if they could handle even small amounts of grey water but an evaporation cooler with a pump and a fan have been criticized because of water usage so I seem to remember a 5 gallon bucket cooler used several gallons a day. Maybe in a hot dry climate such a system could be used to cool as well as get rid of grey water.

 

[DannyB1954]

Well Weight, That is narrow minded of you.  Dontcha know that their are privelaged peoples out dere dat dont need no stinkin rules???   :dodgy:

Name somebody that doesn't break rules. 
Very few people come to a complete stop where they are supposed to at a stop sign, if they stop at all, (the white line on the road, and not at the stop sign). Very few people never speed, never put money in somebody else's parking meter, never sleep in their vehicle where it is forbidden, never lie to get out of jury duty, never lie about where they spend most of their year, (residency).  Never hide income from the IRS, Never stay longer than the 12 days allowed on BLM land. Always pay at an unattended campsite. Everybody tells their insurance agent they are living full time in their vehicle. Shall I go on? 

People like to think what they do is OK, but want to hammer someone else. Go ahead throw the first stone. tossing their human waste in somebody else's dumpster is OK, just don't let your shower water loose. Everybody takes their garbage to the dump right? Nobody ever takes water from a faucet without having permission, (many carry special keys to unlock faucets without handles. They must want you to have the water right)?

 

[GotSmart]

You do know that was a joke, right?  :idea:

But by your response you just might be the one that reject the badges.   :s

BTW, My insurance knew when I was on Walkabout.  

 

[DannyB1954]

Badges, we don't need no stinking badges.
Actually I am not anti LE. I just have a problem with the holier than thou crowd. People have away of justifying whatever they do while they criticize what someone else is doing. Business is not held countable for much. They can pollute a whole ocean with radioactive material, And pay only a very small amount if any in damages. Some body takes a shower and the sky is falling. It is like you can not beat up the big guy, so you want to harass the smallest one around.