Grey Water disposal
We have just returned from a long weekend staying on a lovely CL. I was concerned however that there was no proper provision for disposal of grey water, the grey water disposal point was the same as the chemical waste disposal.
I have not come across this situation before and it seems a waste of good (if not a bit grey) water which would have been more usefully emptied into a hedgerow.
I was wondering if this is considered acceptable!!
It also leads on to considering where the chemical waste is going, It would cost the owners a fortune to keep having the chemical waste tank pumped out because it has been filled with grey water.
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I use many CL's where grey water is put in the sceptic tank.It is not a question of whether it is acceptable, if the CL owner does not want grey water emptied into the hedge for any reason then if he has a sceptic tank there is no alternative, if it isn't made clear anywhere always ask.
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We were staying on a CS near Kirbymoorside, last year and when the owner saw me setting up the Wastemaster, he specifically asked me not to do that - and run a waste pipe into the nearby hedge, instead. On the other hand, when I suggested the same thing to the owner of another site, I was told in no uncertain terms that it was a definite 'no-no'.
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I have been on 5 van sites where they don't want you dumping grey water into the hedge because it encourages rats.
Re disposing of grey water this way or that way being "acceptable!!", then surely in this case the judge of that is the site owners?
If the owners have a septic rather than cess tank system, then the grey water with the food laden kitchen waste water, is "grist to the mill" for the nucleus of bacteria these need? Here, what is then not "acceptable" is the use of non biological loo additives.
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The correct answer is of course to do what the land owner tells you to do. Rats are just a likely to be attracted to the water than any food particles. Anyway what do people put down their sinks we never have anything bigger than a few grains of rice and the odd coffee ground.
I know very little about septic tanks, except we have friends who have one in Spain, they tell me that they can't use biological washing detergents because they can destroy the tanks eco system.
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I can't recall any CL that I have been to where I have been requested to put the grey water down a drain, it has always been disposed of under a hedge or around a tree etc. According to numerous gardening gurus, there is nothing wrong with grey water for the garden so not really any different to a hedgerow. I always consider that if I would be happy to put my hand in the water it presents no problem.
As regards rats, if the tiny amount of food particles are thought to attract them then they must be present already. Personally I have never seen any.
In France most site owners are only too pleased that water is disposed of around trees, bushes and plants because of the frequently more arid conditions that in the UK. Finding a suitable drain, particularly for something like a wastemaster, is usually quite difficult. Most drains are beneath the water taps but are usually not much more than a soak away for the small spillage when the taps are being used.
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I ask the CL owner if it's not obvious - as Boff mentions. I find the owner comes 'a knocking for the fees before I have to empty my waste tank. I'm also wary of letting the waste tank fill to 100litres before emptying because that could cause a tidal surge when emptied in the hedgerow!
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Most of the CL's we visit ask for us to use the hedgerow or plants/trees around the site. The main reason is that if the septic is filled with grey water it will require emptying more frequently which is an additional cost to the CL owner. It times of low rainfall, watering the vegetation is helpful.
As long as it's not on the pitch, I don't' see a problem.
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I seem to remember reading a post on another forum from an owner of a CL about the disposal of grey water. It said that he, had asked his guests to spread the grey water amongst his trees. He said despite this people constantly put it into his Septic tank, causing him problems. His solution was to install soak away drains on each pitch. This had three effects firstly it stopped people dumping the water at the CDP. Secondly his trees got watered because it was just a soak away and thirdly he could increase his pitch prices because he was now offering service pitches.
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I sense here a misunderstanding of what a "septic system" is compared to a "cess tank".
More water through a septic system does not lead to more emptying and a decent regular flow through is what it does need to stay in biological balance. And plenty of greywater to offset the damage done by persons using some loo chemicals is what it can desperately need to dilute them.
A cess tank, on the other hand, is a sealed enclosure that will need emptying so best only receiving what it has to take.
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Interesting range of replies.
I had imagined that most dedicated grey water points were soakaways and I have been on numerous sites where I have been asked to put it under trees or into a hedge or through the fence in to the next field.
I am sure that chemical waste needs to be collected from a closed system and that it was not allowable to have toilet chemicals flowing into drains or soakaways.
So, if you put grey water into a chemical collection point you are in fact contaminating the grey water with toilet chemicals which means it will need treating before it can be used again.
Perfectly good water that many sites are happy to see returned to the land going off to the chemical treatment works, seems a shame!
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We are careful to ensure that the grey waste contains no food particles, fat etc. so wherever we are in the UK or Europe the grey water goes in the nearest hedge. There are exceptions of course. Club sites don't have many hedges and the inhabitants would probably complain if they saw me doing it (after all, whats the point of a Wastemaster if you are going to dump grey water in the hedge?). Some sites are tight up, may have few trees and hedges and possibly a lot of hard standing.
So, if you are in a rural area (rather than something akin to a car park) use the hedges, trees etc. and recycle your waste.
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There are some "responsible" people out there that only "grey" water they would ensure goes under hedges, but then there are others who do not care,ie barbeques/caddacs,that are dumped also,you only have to see what state dish washing areas are left,
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Agree, but that has always been the case. Camping with the family 50/60 years ago there were "responsible" tent campers and "others" but that's not just grey waste, it includes litter, urine, noise and so on. As Club members I hope that the general standard of behaviour and hygiene on average is probably a little better than the norm., however, for that minority who are not so responsible I don't think rules or signs would make any difference nor will anything said on this forum.
From our earliest times Camping I was always taught to inspect a pitch after leaving it; picking up any bits of paper, rubbish etc. I still do it but I wonder how many others do?
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I have seen a system like this used on a site.
http://www.reedbeds.co.uk/page/what-are-the-advantages-of-using-a-reed-bed-system.php
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