How do you properly dispose of RV gray water? Photo: Istock
How To Legally Dispose Of RV Gray Water
RV gray water is called gray water because the used soapy water in it gives it a grayish hue. Gray water is flushed from the sinks and shower and is stored in the gray water tank until it’s dumped. A separate gray water holding tank is handy to have, especially when you are RV camping without access to sewage hookups.
The one problem with an RV gray water holding tank is that it fills up a lot faster than the black water holding tank. This is because we tend to use more water for showering, washing, or cooking food than we do for flushing the toilet.
When the gray water tank is full, it tends to back up into the shower or the closest sink. So, what can you do when the gray water tank is full? Is it okay to just dump the water on the ground?
Why you shouldn’t dispose of RV gray water just anywhere
While gray water isn’t nearly as gross and noxious as black water, it shouldn’t be just dumped onto the ground. You might be wondering why we say that, since gray water is just soapy water, maybe with some tiny food particles in it. The reason is that gray water can have negative impacts on the environment. This is true even when we use biodegradable soaps and dish detergent.
Wherever we camp, we want to leave the environment the same as when we found it. Disposing of gray water by just dumping it on the ground can change the environment. It all starts with the soil. Plants depend on the native soil’s natural PH balance and ability to absorb moisture in order to thrive. Gray water contains chemicals and oils that can affect that natural balance and function of the soil, and this in turn affects the ability of native vegetation to thrive.
Dumping RV gray water in areas with natural water sources like streams, rivers, or lakes nearby can encourage algae. Algae can choke out the naturally occurring species we love. Algae blooms (like blue-green algae) can make water toxic to animals and humans. Never dump gray water into or near natural water sources.
Use biodegradable products when you camp
The cumulative environmental impact of phosphate-containing detergents is huge. Lakes, ponds, and waterways can become unusable when phosphate-caused fish die-offs or toxic algae blooms occur.
It’s always a good idea to use phosphate-free, biodegradable dish detergents, shampoo, and soaps when we are camping. There are many on the market. Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is one of the most well-known biodegradable soaps and can be used for everything from washing hair to washing laundry.
Legal options for disposing of RV gray water
Every state has its own laws regarding how you can legally dispose of gray water. However, there are legal ways to dispose of gray water wherever you may be. Here are a few ways to dispose of RV gray water when you are camping.
- Dump your dishwater in the RV toilet: Wash your dishes in a wash basin that fits in your RV kitchen sink, and then dump it down your RV toilet.
- Dispose of gray water at a dump station: You can always drive to a nearby dump station to dump your gray water there. However, you might not want to uproot your camp and drive over to a dump station to empty your gray water tank. You can always save your gray water in a portable RV waste tank, 5-gallon jug, or bucket, and then take it to a station to dump.
- Dump RV gray water into a regular toilet: Dumping gray water into a flush toilet might be an option when you’re camping at a campground that has toilet facilities. Collect gray water five gallons at a time in a dedicated water jug or bucket. Then dump it into a public toilet when it’s full. Always ask campground staff if it’s ok to dispose of a small amount of RV gray water in the campground toilet before you do so. Rarely, you might have to dump it at the dump station.
Check the state laws for RV gray water dumping
It might be okay to dump your gray water on the ground, depending on the state where you camp. Many states allow you to legally to dump gray water on the ground after you’ve taken some precautions to protect the environment. Other states don’t differentiate between gray water and black water when it comes to disposal practices, and you aren’t allowed to dump either. Still, other states (like Arizona) won’t allow you to dump dishwater, but it’s perfectly fine to dump shower and sink/washbasin water.
RV gray water disposal on Bureau of Land Management land
If you camp on BLM land, state laws regarding the dumping of waste water will often supersede the federal law, which specifically allows the dumping of wash water.
Whenever possible, dump your RV gray water at a dump station or sewage facility. Avoid contributing to environmental pollution by using biodegradable products.
It’s also a great idea to use a strainer to strain out any food particles if you dump your gray water on the ground to avoid attracting wildlife. Always check with the state laws where you camp before you dump your RV gray water.
Find RV dump stations and more
For all of your camping and trip planning needs, look no further than RV LIFE Campground Reviews and RV LIFE Trip Wizard. Campground Reviews is a trusted source of campground and RV park reviews offered by camping and RV enthusiasts just like you. With its accompanying RV LIFE App, RV Trip Wizard gets you to your camping destinations utilizing RV-friendly routes specific to your RV and travel preferences.
Been to a campground lately? Don’t forget to leave a review! Reviews help other RVers like yourself, and they help the campground. Leave a campground review today!
Related articles:
Lynne lives, travels, and works full-time in a Forest-River R-Pod 180 with her 2-pointers, Jolene and Annabelle. Lynne has been an enthusiastic RVer for over 35 years. And then one day in 2019, she began full-time RVing as a lifestyle experiment. She quickly fell in love with the convenience, freedom and minimalist lifestyle offered by full-time RV living.  Lynne is a professional writer and has been a professional dog trainer since 1995.  You can read about her travel adventures on her R-Pod Adventure blog, R-podyssey at: http://www.rpodaventure.com
It is quite interesting that if you are camping in a tent, you are encouraged to spread the dish water or portable shower water around on the forest floor, but if you are in an RV, you must put it in the toilet. It makes no sense to me whatsoever to have two standards.
State laws will never supersede federal law. Don’t ever think that way. Do states make laws that appear to supersede federal law. Yes. As an example, states that have MJ laws. Medical or not, it’s not federally approved. What does this mean? All though it is unlikely, you can be charged. And breaking a federal law is a felony. Yikes. Those fines are hefty.
Strange how back in the 1800s early 1900s this was never a problem. That leads me to believe that it’s based more on the chemical products we have today.
I read a story about a woman who used a plastic tray like for your boots.
Filled it with large stones and put it in the sun. Ran a hose from the gray tank and put it on a slow drip.
The hot rocks evaporated much of her gray water
Exactly. Somehow Tenters are the purists’. Except in a torrential downpour!!!
It’s not about the environment. Oh they will it is, but it’s really about the smell. RVers are way better to the environment than people in a house. We use 15%-20% of the water we did when we lived in a house.
I also own a live aboard trawler. I have yet to see a boat with a grey water holding tank. Grey water is pumped overboard anywhere anytime. My first RV in the late 80’s found us at the Nutbush State Campground in N.C. Grey water went straight on the ground as per campground rules. I wonder if it is the same today?
Gray water stinks. Just because gray water has soap residue in it, doesn’t mean it’s clean. It has food residue and grease residue that attracts critters big and small.
Most responsible campgrounds provide dishwater disposal sites so that the next guy doesn’t set up their tent or have people or pets camp in it. Just consideration for us all and the future of these places we love.
While I try to keep it to a minimum, I have dropped gray water from time to time, just where I’m parked. Like sometimes at a camground with only elec & water. Or mooch-docking. Like people said, tent campers usually disperse water from doing dishes, cleaning up after a meal, in the general area of their tent.
State laws often are stricter than federal laws, they simply can’t be less strict. Dumping a full tank of RV “gray water” on the ground is more than a bit different than a tent camper rinsing off their plate. One way to look at it is would you dump your home’s gray water on your front lawn every day.
The reality is there is only one place to dump gray water and that is in an approved sewer. The exception would be some farming operations in arid areas that use gray water on their crops.
Dumping sink water seems like it should be pretty safe but add in shower water that has run over (how do I say this delicately)…underware areas introduces a whole new microbe mix, including E. coli, to the gray water tank. Although not as concentrated, it really should be treated the same as black water. Many codes are catching up to this. Any water that comes in contact with that area of the body should be treated like raw sewage.
I think that dumping gray water into a sink anywhere (house, fish cleaning station, public bathroom) is the same as the gray water going down the same orifices as said in above parenthesis directly by the faucets/fixtures attached to them.