Another tent camping question

[hoosiergirl]

I'm trying to learn all I can about tent camping...and I got to thinking, what do we do with the "gray" water in the tent loops? (Is that what you call it? The dishwater?) By the way, you guys are the best! You make it easy to ask questions--over and over!--cuz y'all just seem to love camping and helping fellow and newbie campers! I'm really glad I found this board.

 

[RvUsa]

I am not a tenter, well at least not for the last 10 yrs. I am sure someone will be right along to answer all your tenting questions. In the mean time, sit back relax and enjoy.

 

[becky1960]

I believe that they have a small sink type basin by the water outlet that has a drain, Its down in the ground. Its been a long time since we stayed in the tent sites.

 

[mamaloya]

I don't believe the tent sites have a drain. That is only in the full hookup sites. Personally, I am a bad girl and let it run on the ground if it is not nasty. There is a basin in the laundry room where I go to really wash the dishes, just make sure there is not food on them. Also, only dump the soapy water at the site if it is biodegradeable. And then, I don't think you are supposed to. I know some in popups who catch the runoff and dump it into the toilet in the comfort station. I found the basin easier.

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

You shouldn't drain your gray water at the site. I can't believe someone would actually do this!...well, I guess I can believe it but I don't want to believe it!That is harmful to the environment and disrepectful to the people using your site afterwards. Sewage (yes what we think is gray water, the state of Florida calls sewage), attracts flies, ants, and so many other little critters we don't want at our campsite.

There are no drains in the tent loops so you will need to have an enclosed container for transporting your gray water to the comfort station. I know some people purchase collapsible containers and some use the containers that people use for gasoline. We use a gray water container purchased from a camping store. Here's a picture (not a good one)...but if you look underneath our camp kitchen, the gray water is going to the blue container. It has wheels so it's easy to transport to the comfort station.

 

[JCJRSmith]

I don't believe the tent sites have a drain. That is only in the full hookup sites. Personally, I am a bad girl and let it run on the ground if it is not nasty. There is a basin in the laundry room where I go to really wash the dishes, just make sure there is not food on them. Also, only dump the soapy water at the site if it is biodegradeable. And then, I don't think you are supposed to. I know some in popups who catch the runoff and dump it into the toilet in the comfort station. I found the basin easier.

Yeah, you should not be dumping grey water at your site. That stuff gets into the groundwater which, in Florida, is REALLY close to the surface of the ground you are standing on. You may want to look into the rolling grey water tanks that are available at camper supply stores, somthing like THIS

 

[clkelley]

In my camper I capture it in a container and dump it at the comfort station. When I tent camped at the Fort, I never created any grey water, but really, collect it in a big paint bucket and haul it to the comfort station or a nearby full hookup site and dump it appropriately. WDW is already a swamp, let's not add to it.

 

[ntsammy5]

Never thought about that at FW because I'm always in my sister's RV, bu elsewhere, just look for an area in the woods and dump -- it's never very much. In campgrounds with water taps, generally down the drains by them. Again we don't have a whole lot.

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

It's illegal in the state of Florida to dump gray water on the ground. But I think ntsammy5 (correct me if I'm wrong) was suggesting the woods for elsewhere, not Florida, therefore not FW. For other places, I would check the campground regulations, or do a search for that state's laws.

 

[chief19spixi]

In my camper I capture it in a container and dump it at the comfort station. When I tent camped at the Fort, I never created any grey water, but really, collect it in a big paint bucket and haul it to the comfort station or a nearby full hookup site and dump it appropriately. WDW is already a swamp, let's not add to it.

Whew I agree.. I have tasted FL water and it is not that great! Now I buy at least 5 cases of bottled water before I even think of going down there!!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Dont you guys use paper plates and cups and utensils and crock-pot liners?.....what dishes are you having to wash?

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Dont you guys use paper plates and cups and utensils and crock-pot liners?.....what dishes are you having to wash?

Our sink is mainly for rinsing refillable mugs, beverage waste (such as milk and soda), and if we use the coleman stove (frying pan) or grill utensils we may wash them in the sink but other than that, it's all paper cups, paper plates, plastic utensils. Another tip of the day: There are recycle bins for these items spaced around each loop.

 

[ntsammy5]

I think ntsammy5 (correct me if I'm wrong) was suggesting the woods for elsewhere, not Florida, therefore not FW.

Correctomundo! Actually, it's more for backpacking, but like I said it's never much -- just a little gray from washing and some yellow.......

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Correctomundo! Actually, it's more for backpacking, but like I said it's never much -- just a little gray from washing and some yellow.......

been there, done that, dug some holes

 

[hoosiergirl]

Thanks for all the answers! It shouldn't be a big problem to just keep a bucket to dump the water into and then haul it to the CS, but like I said, I was wondering... I plan on doing very little cooking--easy meals like sandwiches, muffins for breakfast, stuff that can be handled by paper plates, but it's always best to be prepared!

 

[clkelley]

Our sink is mainly for rinsing refillable mugs, beverage waste (such as milk and soda), and if we use the coleman stove (frying pan) or grill utensils we may wash them in the sink but other than that, it's all paper cups, paper plates, plastic utensils. Another tip of the day: There are recycle bins for these items spaced around each loop.

I don't do the paper plate and cup thing. Kindof a holdover from Scouts. The SMs got tired of having huge bags of trash to bring back from the campouts due to paper products, so insisted each Scout have his own dishes, silverware, and drink cup. So I do have dishes and silverware for the camper.

 

[SandrA9810]

I don't do any cooking or anything like that at my site. But on occasion I will have to rinse off a few things and so I'll use the hose at the site. But it's not anything I wouldn't do at home in the yard.

 

[shocker]

Dont you guys use paper plates and cups and utensils and crock-pot liners?.....what dishes are you having to wash?

Hey thanks for the "liner" idea. Just adding it to my list of things to get! Was considering the crock pot idea but didn't want to have to clean it at the site.

 

[mamaloya]

Guys, I did not mean to imply that I wash a ton of dishes at the site and let it run off. I am talking a little hand washing at the spigot (with the biodegradeable soap) or rinsing a cup or two. No REAL washing at the site. I was just saying that it was bad because I don't think you are even supposed to do that so don't want to tell anyone to do it. In our popup we had a bucket and caught the water in it and then dumped it in the comfort station. Luckily we now have a TT and always have a full hookup.

Like I said, I usually did my real washing in the comfort station.

I really like the idea of the crock pot liners. I use them at home, but need to remember them on vacation. We do use mainly paper products. I wish more campgrounds had recycle bins so readily available like FW>