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MNRon's avatar
MNRon
Explorer
Jan 20, 2015

Sewage smell rant

This afternoon we came back to 5er and detected a sewage smell coming from across the road. I thought someone didn't know how to hook up his hose properly. Went out for some things and when coming back IMMEDIATELY noticed it again as I drove in. Took a look around and didn't see anything obvious by the couple sites in the area the smell seemed to be coming from. After going in and out of the 5er a couple times the smell was so bad I called the office.

Their reply "oh, yes. Even though we are connected to city sewer, we have a lift station that vents nearby your site. Usually when it's warmer the gases just rise and no one notices anything." Let me tell you the gases aren't just rising now.

Unfortunately it's dark and I don't feel like moving right now, but first thing in the morning we're moving to another part of the campground. This is the first time I haven't been happy at a state park in TX. I will be happy again tomorrow.

Thanks for letting me rant.
Seeking Advice

10 Replies

  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer II
    Jan 22, 2015
    MNRon wrote:
    rockhillmanor - say it isn't so...we stayed at Tom Sawyer campground a few years ago and loved it. Got to watch barges navigating the river in the morning, and spend time on Beal street at night. We didn't catch a wife of bad smells and hope not to when we stop there again (which we will).


    It is my FAVORITE CG too! I stopped for just overnight and ended up staying there a week. Parked right on the Mississippi river front with my MH. Words can't describe those barges and the river, you just don't get tired of watching them. I must have taken over 50 pictures!

    The CG told me it was from the sewer lift station at the end of the CG, so when the pump came on is when the smell emitted. I just happened to be there when it happened several times. Maybe the wind was just right on those days.:W
  • MNRon's avatar
    MNRon
    Explorer
    Jan 22, 2015
    rockhillmanor - say it isn't so...we stayed at Tom Sawyer campground a few years ago and loved it. Got to watch barges navigating the river in the morning, and spend time on Beal street at night. We didn't catch a wife of bad smells and hope not to when we stop there again (which we will).
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer II
    Jan 21, 2015
    Sadly one of my favorite CG's I like the most has the same problem when the wind is just right and it is SOOO bad you can't breath it's so bad even if you close all the windows in your RV. It's Tom Sawyers CG which is right on the Mississippi and the smell engulfs the entire CG.

    AND another sewer smell problem at CG's is from people who dump before they leave and then do NOT put the sewer cap back on.

    I am always having to go and put sewer caps back on from these inconsiderate campers because of the sewer smell engulfing my RV.

    Put your sewer caps back on before you leave!!
  • TomHaycraft's avatar
    TomHaycraft
    Explorer
    Jan 21, 2015
    MNRon, thanks for mentioning, I will add that to my travel log and notes on the park. We've been to Cedar Hill SP 4 or 5 times now, use that park for weekend trips to see my brother-in-law and his family a couple times a year for niece and nephew's birthdays, December and July. I've always stayed at sites on the north end, site 130 (or 128) are two that have a great view of the lake.

    Safe travels.
  • MNRon's avatar
    MNRon
    Explorer
    Jan 21, 2015
    TomHaycraft - I agree with you about the great TX parks, although my experience so far has only been 4 of them (5 tomorrow :)

    Cedar Hill just south of Dallas is a nice park, but I wouldn't stay down around site 286 again...
  • TomHaycraft's avatar
    TomHaycraft
    Explorer
    Jan 21, 2015
    MNRon, I'm curious, which park?

    So far, I've camped at 20 of 65 state parks in Texas with hook ups, fortunately have not encountered what you describe. Don't know that I'll get to all of them, have 12 more on my "short list" that I will likely get to in the next 12 to 18 months. Great system of parks here in Texas.
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Jan 20, 2015
    Stayed at a state park in Arizona one time that was beautiful. About 2am, an alarm started screaming near the restroom. The lift pump had failed, and raw sewage was running across the road. The stench was ungodly. We had to move the next morning, which meant driving the truck and FW across the brown river...
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Jan 20, 2015
    We have a very nice state park here (Bay View) that has a similar problem. there is always a sewage smell at an intersection that's between the rest rooms and next to a certain site.
    I can't imagine spending the whole weekend there.

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