Dumping Gray Water In Your Campsite

SC state parks do not allow dumping gray water other than at an approved dump site. State law against it. Regardless I have seen some run garden hoses from the dump valve into the bushes, or under their gray tote trying to hide the fact they are dumping it on the ground. Shower, sink water is still a bio hazard, and I'd rather not have kids playing where someone dumped their gray tanks.

Some states and places allow dumping grey water onto the ground and some states do not. Instead of everyone getting wound up about "do" or "do not" suggest folks check and follow the law for the location. In most places it is the law that specifies what is or is not allowed.

There's a big difference of a tent camper dumping a dishpan of water per day on a bush.

RVers use water for many uses and when they're dumping it could be 40 gallons or more.

That site will be occupied by a person after you leave and another person after that and another, etc. If everyone was so inconsiderate about dumping their water think of the condition of that site with soggy soil, smells, hair, soaps, garbage.

Why can't folks think of others than just themselves?

As volunteers one of our little 'duties' once was in a national park. We had to remove the rock and soil under the roadside faucets because they were not draining. It was disgusting to have to remove the hair, garbage and toothpaste because, despite a sign posted right on the faucet of "no washing of dishes, hair, bodies or brushing teeth", folks continue to do it. We removed the debris down a foot and replaced it with new. Probably the next volunteer in that campground had to do the same thing the next year.

Think it out folks!

I talked to the staff. They said not allowed under any circumstances. The guy dumping today was coming out of a 3 inch pipe not a fresh water drain.
if gray water is so safe then would you drink it? Want your kids playing on it?

This subject comes up often. I'm surprised it went three pages without the flaming commencing. It seems a rather emotional subject. I believe in responsible stewardship of the land. Can one safely dump gray water? Yes, under proper conditions, not in my neighbors yard, where my dump site is in public use, nor where this effluent can find it's way into surface waters, or someone's well. If my dumping merely causes you annoyance, good.

Flies love gray water on site dumping.

Funny how what is considered "green" varies depending on the situation. Seems to be the consensus in this thread that dumping is not green. However in CA, I know people who have modified their home's plumbing so that sink and shower water drains into a 250 gallon tank that they then filter and use for watering and washing the car etc. Considering CA's drought, what they are doing is very green.

For me personally, when we had a pup with no holding tank, we did sometimes let the water from the sink drain on the ground depending on the situation, ie. no puddling, no running into someone else's campsite or into a stream. Pretty much it needed to be very porous soil. Also we only use all natural soap, so it was basically just water with no smell whatsoever.

Now that we have a TT, we just use the holding tank and dump at the dump station. If the tank fills up before we leave, I have a 30 gal portable tote with wheels to haul it to the dump area. I have however used gray water from my holding tank to water the lawn and landscaping at my house. It does have an odor though, so I'm looking into finding a way to filter it. To me, if done properly, reusing gray water for irrigation is far greener than dumping it in a sewer.

I don't dump my gray tanks on the ground but I do often wash out pots and pans outside, using the outdoor shower. And I frequently use the outdoor shower with a bar of soap and shampoo in my bathing suit. Maybe that is just as bad? Where my family's Beachhouse is located just about every house on the street has some sort of outdoor shower for use when we get back from the beach. Most people use soap and shampoo out there so how much worse could it be in the woods?

Another reason to go remote.

Private property vs Public property to start. This is bear country I would not dump wash or leave anything out.