Gray water: tenters dump it, so why can't I?
First, we don't dump anything on the ground. Period. It is illegal, and that settles it for me. But -- here is the issue -- SHOULD it be illegal in all settings? Tent campers certainly do dump g...
Forum Discussion
In Indiana State Parks and State Recreational campgrounds it is illegal to dump anything on the ground inside the park anywhere. That even includes fresh water. It applies to all campers. But very seldom is it actually enforced. That doesn't make it right, or even an excuse to do so. But the park rangers do have the authority to fine you if you get caught, even dumping a dishpan in the weeds. There again, I've never heard of anyone actually being fined in Indiana for doing this.
Some State Parks have it clearly posted no washing dishes at the common water faucet too. But over and over I've seen tent campers leave so many soap suds on the ground, you'd think a cloths washing machine was splashing over! Just because they never get approached by DNR does not mean it's wide open for everyone. It just means there's always some of those folks who feel the "rules" don't apply to them, that they are above the rules and they are the exception!
With a tent camper, they can probably get away with it without notice because their usage is so minimal. But dumping anything from 25 to 100 gallon tanks on the ground is asking for a mess.
Imagine being the next camper on your reserved spot, only to find out the camper before you dumped 100 gallons of water on the ground, making your campsite and squishy, soggy, and after a day, smelly mess! This is the same reason why some private campgrounds have a no washing RV rule. It's just not fair to the next person using the same spot to have to deal with a soggy and wet campsite because the occupant right before them decided to wash their RV!
Think about it!
Some State Parks have it clearly posted no washing dishes at the common water faucet too. But over and over I've seen tent campers leave so many soap suds on the ground, you'd think a cloths washing machine was splashing over! Just because they never get approached by DNR does not mean it's wide open for everyone. It just means there's always some of those folks who feel the "rules" don't apply to them, that they are above the rules and they are the exception!
With a tent camper, they can probably get away with it without notice because their usage is so minimal. But dumping anything from 25 to 100 gallon tanks on the ground is asking for a mess.
Imagine being the next camper on your reserved spot, only to find out the camper before you dumped 100 gallons of water on the ground, making your campsite and squishy, soggy, and after a day, smelly mess! This is the same reason why some private campgrounds have a no washing RV rule. It's just not fair to the next person using the same spot to have to deal with a soggy and wet campsite because the occupant right before them decided to wash their RV!
Think about it!
