What would you do?
I am planning my first trip to France end of next month and was talking to a friend today and the question of Aquaroll and Wastemaster came up. He told me he didn’t use either as generally there’s no where to dispose of the water on sites. I had never seen this discussed on here.
So my question is to the seasoned travellers, what do you do over there, should I take a bucket instead?
Ken
Comments
-
I don't own either - I just fill the espresso pot at the nearest tap, and use the facilies block for dishwashing and showers. Other options are possible.
0 -
We take an aquaroll but leave the wastemaster behind and instead carry a couple of cheap plastic gorilla tubs from Asda etc. We do tend to use the site showers etc when abroad but the aquaroll comes in handy for the journey there and back.
0 -
Cheap jerrycan?
I caravanned for twenty years before I got my first aquaroll.
0 -
Of course there are places to dispose of water - they just may not look the same as on C&MC sites, and there are some sites in areas which are very dry which encourage you to dispose of waste water around the plants and bushes on the campsite. Of course this is helped by the fact that the facilities blocks are used more, because in warm weather no one minds a stroll to the loo block, or the washing up area, so Europeans use a lot less water in their caravans than we do.
I must admit we're of the 'don't take those things along............' but it's definitely because there is nowhere to dispose of the water! We just prefer not to do all the lugging backwards and forwards, and do what most Europeans do - use the facilities provided by the site.
0 -
After our first venture "across the water" complete with Aquaroll & Wastemaster, we, like every other camper on sites, ditched the Wastemaster in favour of a bucket. Like everyone else, we "recycled" our grey water, usually on surrounding hedges, bushes and plants.
2 -
We carry on as normal, though do use serviced pitches when offered.
I usually use the site showers etc, but as my OH needs assistance when showering, she generally uses the caravan shower. I do not mind dealing with the required water, gives me good exercise.
We have an on board tank, so on arrival I will fill it up if we are staying a few days, taking advantage of good weather when possible. Travelling low season, we generally easily find a pitch close to all facilities.
Dish washing we prefer to also do in the van, but when power is metered (fairly common in Germany) we do use the dishwashing facilities provided.
There is always somewhere to empty, but sometimes it requires lifting the wastemaster, so I would then empty frequently. Otherwise, we often use the MH disposal grid....very easy then.
We have plenty of space to carry aquaroll in the car, wastemaster goes in front locker.
0 -
If you do take a Wastemaster you can always use the motorhome service point to empty it depending how far away your pitch is. If you use a smaller Fiamma type waste container they can be emptied at the chemical disposal point as they are light enough to be lifted up. As far as the Aquaroll is concerned I would take as most sites have convenient water points around the site.
David
0 -
Take ordaireny bucket drill a tiny hole so nobody will know it's letting out contents slowly into hedge row like every body else on site
1 -
Don't agree with this, for one I don't park my van that close to a hedgerow even if there is one, and two it's not good for others who have to put up with the stink of waste water after you have left.
I carry what I carry in the UK, use it as I do elsewhere and empty correctly where possible unless directed to chuck it.
Aquaroll travels in the shower cubicle, small wastemaster travels in the front locker.
3 -
Like others, we use a bucket and leave the wastemaster at home - although we do use the aquaroll. As said, many sites are happy for waste water to be used to water the hedges etc, and some sites we've stayed at which had a waste water point had it so high it was a real struggle to get a wastemaster up to it.
0 -
and some sites we've stayed at which had a waste water point had it so high it was a real struggle to get a wastemaster up to it.
That is exactly what I found on many sites, in addition many were just soakaways so the volume I was discharging just flooded the area. Now the wastemaster stays at home.
0 -
We don't have a waste master but a fiamma waste container but don't bother with this. Like most others we use the facilities on site so don't collect a lot of waste water. Just need to make sure it's weighted down with a little water if in an area prone to high winds otherwise you might need to find it!
0 -
Just need to make sure it's weighted down with a little water if in an area prone to high winds otherwise you might need to find it!
I always use a brick!
0 -
Why have you got a preference?
0 -
Most continentals don`t know what an aquaroll or wastemaster is and rarely do you see them rolling water around only the Brits seem to do this. On the continent in hot weather we use the shower blocks/toilets/washing up sinks for everything, let somebody else clean! We just carry a smaller water container to bring water to van. In our case the caravan washroom is rarely used, apart from that middle of the night visit.
0 -
Use both the aquaroll and waste master but always carry around 8 m of flexible pipe for direct water disposal just in case it is allowed to drain straight into bushes etc or there is a handy drain.
I'm quite happy to fetch and carry the water and we always shower in the van first thing in the mornings. Can't be doing with having to dress and wander over to join the 'great unwashed' by the showers.
0 -
Like most of the contributors here, we have been caravanning on the continent for many, many years. We take both the Aquaroll and the Wastemaster, we also take a suitable bucket. As has been said, the Aquaroll seem to be a purely British innovation but it is often admired by our continental fellow caravanners as they top up their small water storage containers in the front locker. Regarding the Wastemaster there is usually a place to empty them and you can always use the motorhome water emptying place. We have on a number of occasions been accused of emptying the WC waste in the grey water place, I gently mention that I am emptying grey water
. I use a bucket for the grey water for overnight stops and if it is a long walk to the grey water point. However, I would never empty greasy washing up water on a pitch or in a hedge. We tend to go continental as soon as we cross the channel washing ourselves and dishes using the site facilities.0 -
I read somewhere that they were starting to sell Aquarolls in Holland. Certainly much easier than the multiple trips with watering can that one of our German neighbours was making. They had 2 huge water containers strapped in the front locker which they topped up every day. Presumably the caravan water was drawn from those like ours from the on board tank.
I saw they had a hose too, but it was not long enough to reach from the communal water tap.
On serviced pitches, I have never seen anyone over there connected to the tap, but have seen rubber waste hoses running to the drain.
We always connect up, via Aquaroll, on a serviced pitch, and use rigid waste pipes to run to the drain, a few interested caravanners (over there) have stopped to ask how it all works. The Dutch caravanners always love to chat, and look at other vans.
0 -
Incidentally, if you ever venture to Sweden, be sure to take a wastemaster or one of the smaller Fiamma waste water containers, the use of an open bucket is frowned on. Some sites even ban the use of buckets for waste water in the site rules.
0 -
We have been going abroad for 15 years, and have always taken the aquaroll and wastemaster, and a bucket for overnights and night before departure from site.
If a tap is close by, I use a watering can to replenish the aquaroll, as disconnecting creates air in the system, and wastes too much water getting rid of it.
Wastemaster contents are deposited whichever way the site suggests, which can ofter be in the chemical disposal point. I lean the wastemaster against the 'pot', remove the lid near the handle, grab the wheels and tip it up!
We always shower using the onsite facilities, washing up also, unless there are only a few items.
I try to avoid throwing waste water in the hedge, unless its encouraged by the site. Most of the non-Uk residents appear to 'squirrel it away' as you hardly ever see emptying occurring, but as said, they use considerably less than us.
On many sites, it can be difficult to decipher what the site expects, and it can vary wildly from one to another, but we should all try to consider our neighbours and the environment (and before anyone asks, I'm no eco warrier)
0 -
We have been touring abroad for the last 15 years particularly in France and always take exactly the same as at home i.e.wastemaster and 2 aquarolls . 2 means I can always have a standby for when the wife has a shower and would be livid if the water ran out mid way through.
I have never yet had a problem emptying the wastemaster . I can't see the point in using site showers and wash up facilities when they are now so sophisticated in a modern caravan . I know some people almost consider it a "social" event having a natter with like minded caravanners at the wash up every day, each to his own. We do however prefer fully serviced pitches for ease but can't always guarantee getting one hence the need for backup. As has been said , some sites are happy for grey waste to go in bushes etc and I may then just run a waste hose to that point but even then using a wastemaster at the end of the hose but with a cap off to "leak" so the debris from the sink falls to the bottom and is disposed of before leaving site.
0
