NOT Dumping Black and Gray Tanks

[SkiSmuggs]

While folks seem concerned by the solids, it is the urine that makes the stink. Solids have the bacteria from your body to help break it down. There are compost toilets on some hiking trails here in Vermont with signs asking that you pee in the woods so as to not disturb the composting process.
FWIW, we have had our RV sit over a winter with stuff in the black tank and it's always been fine to wait until we are at a campground again.

[rjniles]

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

I'd wonder about the white "fuzz" on your lawn from toilet paper.....

That said, many third world countries use human waste as fertilizer. It not only is a major source of e-coli poisoning, it can readily expose anyone who comes in contact with it to hepatitis, Typhoid and a host of other communicable diseases.

It may be "free fertilizer" but the potential price to your family may be much more than opening your wallet for commercial fertilizer for your lawn..... YMMV

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

You need to post your address so the rest of us can avoid coming near your lawn or come by with our rv & help you fertilize. Hopefully signs are posted warning others that your lawn is full of sh##! I have one question, is your wife aware & onboard with the sewer dump in the front yard?? Mine would never go for it a million years!!
YUK!!!!!!

[raylinkz]

Before Y'all light your flame thrower, I'm aware of all the negative postings about using bleach... IMHO the information given is way overblown as I use bleach for many things to Kill bacteria and most viruses. Nothing else can (cheaply) accomplish that.

If I need to leave the tanks with 'dumps' in them, I use copious amounts of water and add bleach to the tank a cup at a time... Keep an eye (er nose) on it and if it starts to smell, add another cup of bleach.

I find it will not stink if you kill the odor causing bacteria and the solids will soften with the bleach water.. I also add water softener and Dawn liquid which helps soften and disperse any oily substance.

When I arrive at my next camping site with a dump station or any free dump station, Dump, rinse and add bleach, water softener and Dawn with a few gallons of water.

There is a long article on the web about this type of cleansing but I'm too lazy to look for it:

You may also see this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_A11DKe13k&t=224s

PS to the posting that says he empties it on his 3 acres. Works for me, none of my family has the diseases that some said concerns them. Water and sunshine and worms take care of the effluent.
OK 'Flame On'

[SkiSmuggs]

Water treatment plants use air and sun for sewage treatment.

[notanlines]

Rj, I believe you’re mistaken. It is gross to ALL of us!

[sourdough]

Sorry. I just can't keep from responding to this.

Anyone that thinks it's OK to dump their black tank on the front lawn (or property) just isn't thinking IMO.

Washing it down with water? What? Where does it go for the next 2 weeks? Sits right there until it "assimilates". Water treatment plants use air and sun for sewage treatment? Yep. Have you looked at how they separate that stuff from normal life/folks? Huge fences; put out away from any possible contact with people/animals? Isolated.

Do you have kids/animals? Do you "contain" them? Isolate them from the contamination? Have you ever just been "closely" associated to a city sewage treatment plant (gross)?

I'm a country guy. Lived with tin covered cesspools growing up. Now, we have better ways and better knowledge. We know all the health benefits of our advanced knowledge and we, kids included, benefit from it.

It's your decision; dump it on your property but I think it's wrong to post that it is perfectly OK when, I would assume, any knowledgeable person would know it is not healthy to do that, or walk in it, or let the kids play in it... yes...IMO it's gross....and not healthy - but, it's July 4th and we're all celebrating our INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

[Roscommon48]

Thanks for the overview:-)


You don't have to dump everytime you go home or move.


You shouldn't dump your black water until it is at least 1/2 to 2/3 full so the force will move your 'product' out.


Just don't leave you black water for a season...if it evaporates it will be hell to pay.

[atkinsb3]

Originally Posted by rjniles

Probably gross some of you out but I dump it on my lawn and use the hose to wash it down well. Free fertilizer. And I live out in the sticks on 3 acres.

about 40 years ago when I was an innocent lad, we got back from a hunting trip with some family members and they forgot to drain the black tank. The trailer was parked at the top of a hill of a small town street next to the house. One of the family members decided to pull the handle and let it drain down the gutter. I will never forget that blue, lump filled liquid flowing down the gutter and what remained once the the liquid was gone!?!?

I was eternally damaged and think about that (and laugh) every time I drain our black tank, at the dump station, after a camping trip.

[JRTJH]

I "said my say" in a previous post about the "esthetic element" (smell, health hazards, etc) but failed to mention that around here, in the boonies of northern Michigan, if you get caught dumping raw sewage on private or public property, you'll be at the courthouse on Monday morning, standing in front of a judge. Yeah, it's illegal as well as just plain nasty..... Of course, as said by others, this is Independence Day weekend, so........

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I "said my say" in a previous post about the "esthetic element" (smell, health hazards, etc) but failed to mention that around here, in the boonies of northern Michigan, if you get caught dumping raw sewage on private or public property, you'll be at the courthouse on Monday morning, standing in front of a judge. Yeah, it's illegal as well as just plain nasty..... Of course, as said by others, this is Independence Day weekend, so........

It's classified as "hazardous waste" by the EPA & is illegal in every state to dump it on the ground, actually federal offense to do so.
I would stop that practice immediately, especially now that you've posted it on a public forum letting the whole world know you're doing it willfully.