Waste disposal on sites

[frances_374347013]

During our recent visit to the CCC site in Salisbury this summer, we noticed several neighbouring motorhome owners without waste water tanks under their vans and draining waste water (or something!!) directly on to pitches. DISGUSTING!! Given the fact we were there for two weeks, how many others were carrying out this practice throughout the site, or other sites?

In fairness to the staff on site who were extremely prompt in taking action once this was brought to their attention, the aforementioned practice ceased. However, it must be said, in our opinion, these people should have been removed from the site immediately.

We can say categorically, this was NOT clean water from their water system, but waste water or if you prefer - 'grey water' This practice should be dealt with severely - albeit as some people would say "its only water", this 'grey water' does carry waste food particles and other such waste which if left to fester could encourage virmin and disease - not to mention foul odours for the next unfortunate occupants of that pitch!

Perpetrators of such actions would not drain their waste on to their proprty at home - or would they?!

 

[Surfer]

I agree about waste water from a kitchen sink, but don't see anything wrong with waste water from a shower going onto the pitch. When we were on a seasonal pitch we never had an issue with this as it is relatively clean waste water. We still do the same when on a CL as it is only about 10 - 15 litres of water which dissipates quite quickly into the ground. No different to pouring your grey waste into a hedgerow.

 

[Rodger Dodger]

Grey water will contain detergents - shampoo, washing up liquid, soap etc.

If you get your awning on an area which has these substances on the grass, whilst you lay out your awning ready to put it up, the soaps will destroy the waterproofing on the material.

This means you have to then re-proof the awning. This costs time and money to do just because someone cannot be bothered to go to an waste drop-off point that sites have. No need to take a Waste Master to empty, they can just open the valve and let it go down the proper drain. Even if they use a hose, it is still an easy operation.

As usual, people not giving a "monkeys" about others only for themselves.

 

[Alan Partridge]

I prefer not to pitch on top of waste waster residue, whether someone else judges it dirty or not, and it shouldn't be their decision that it's OK for me to do so.

A pitch can be re-occupied minutes after the previous user leaves, and it's not very pleasant to wonder what's in the sodden patch you've just put your awning down on, or now happens to be by your caravan door.

Just my opinion, but I suspect anyone who argues "it's all right really" of just being too lazy to behave considerately.

 

[grahamgreatbarr]

Grey Water, This subject was talked about a few years ago, and I explained what we did. :-

We place a 6" dia. pipe filled with either grass or soil under our drainpipe, this filters out all the fat and food bits, and periodically, and at the end of our stay the filter medium is removed and deposited in a bin or taken home.

P.C. magazine liked this idea and it was featured as a "Letter of the month" we where awarded a splended prize of a cool box operated by gas, 240v, or 12v, worth

 

[Rodger Dodger]

Whilst I understand the filtering out of food particles etc, the idea still does not address thr problem of soap in the water affecting the waterproofing of the fabric on an awning.

This would be my concern, anyone else have views on this subject?

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

Soft soap should be OK on modern acrylic awning fabric (fluoropolymer treated), but detergent and washing up liquid will strip the coating almost instantly.

Eriba pop-tops sometime get dirty, and it's normally a simple vacuum and dry-brush to clean, but one owner decided to wash the fabric - and a weak solution of household detergent killed the fabric - no amount of washing would remove the trace of detergent that had bonded to the fabric and the re-proofer wouldn't work...

So no, I'd rather not find out that my awning has lost it's waterproof nature because someone contaminated the soil...

Robert

 

[alaintaylor]

This debate has been around for a while, and really it's quite simple:

1. IT IS NOT OK to dump anything on the pitch, leave a pitch as you would expect to find it - PLEASE

2. IT IS PERFECTLY OK to tip waste water at the base of a hedgerow or other unused area as long as it's well away from any pitch and does not contain inordinate quantities of solid matter. If it's nasty and greasy then dispose of it safely at the drain.

No more needs to be said!

Alan

 

[frances_374347013]

This debate has been around for a while, and really it's quite simple:

1. IT IS NOT OK to dump anything on the pitch, leave a pitch as you would expect to find it - PLEASE

2. IT IS PERFECTLY OK to tip waste water at the base of a hedgerow or other unused area as long as it's well away from any pitch and does not contain inordinate quantities of solid matter. If it's nasty and greasy then dispose of it safely at the drain.

No more needs to be said!

Alan

Totally agree with you Alan -

LEAVE AS YOU WISH TO FIND!!!!!!!

 

[Surfer]

Looking at a Lunar Delta TI it had a 40 litre water tank at the rear and a 10 litre hot water to tank at the front. To travel with a full 40 litre water tank would be a big no no so I would imagine that it would be dumped on the pitch along with the 10 litres of hot water. As for shower water affecting the water proofing on your awning, give us a break. Why would you be putting your awning on an area where the caravan would normally be parked. Nit picking sounds a good phrase. Dish water I agree should not be dumped on a pitch. I think I did mention seasonal site.

 

[Rodger Dodger]

Yes, Ian I did understand that your stated you where on a seasonal pitch, howerver, you also stated you still do the same on CL's.

If you pour your waste in a hedgerow, clearly it is not going to be an area where you would be placing a awning near. This can be acceptable, but if you can take it to a proper disposal site surely this has to be the right thing?

 

[ThePlotter]

As someone said previously how can it be right to dump water on to the pitch and potentially turn it into a bog for the next occupier,basically it is just down to being bone idle.

The idea of a pipe full of straw etc is old hat that was dumped by resposible caravanners about 20 years ago.There is no reason or excuse to do other than use a proper waste container and to then dispose of its contents at the waste water point.

 

[Surfer]

If you were a CL owner, would you want people pouring their waste water into your Elsan point thus making emptying at a cost to yourself more frequen?

As the shower is used in the morning and we normally only vacate in the late afternoon, I do not see a problem with 10 litres of relatively clean water onto a grass pitch. Probably disappearred into the ground within 10 minutes.

 

[Terrym1]

Ian

If the site owner requests that "grey" water is poured into hedgerow then this is what you should do.There it will do no damage. If no such request is made then you should collect it in your waste carrier and empty it in the reqired place. Either way it is not acceptable to allow it to drain onto what is, temporararily, your pitch. Arguing that it will soak away before you leave is not good enough, it WILL leave a deposit of detergent or soap which will ruin waterproofing on awnings,

You say "Why would you be putting your awning on an area where the caravan would normally be parked" Well on the CL's that I have frequented there is no such thing as "area where the caravan would normally be parked" and the thought of eating my meals in the awning after you've been there------

 

[grahamgreatbarr]

I wonder which part of your awning you are worried about that will be touching the ground,.. Have you thought about all the cow m**k, sheep s**t, and all sorts of different urine that is present.

 

[swpostie]

What have people got against using a wastemaster (or similar)?

Are they deliberately being awkward?

Surely it's the obvious thing to do.

And when the aquaroll needs filling, take that in one hand and the wastemaster in the other - fill the first and empty the second.

You can even leave the aquaroll filling up while you roll the wastemaster over to wherever it needs to go to be emptied.

Simple isn't it?

 

[Terrym1]

I wonder which part of your awning you are worried about that will be touching the ground,.. Have you thought about all the cow m**k, sheep s**t, and all sorts of different urine that is present.

The roof, the front and the sides!

I have yet to find a better way of folding it up to leave.

As for the cow and sheep muck and urine you mention, I have yet to encounter it on site and would not stay on a site if it were present.

 

[Surfer]

I have noticed that no one has mentioned water drained from the hot water boiler or from a onboard water tank.

Rupert, we would really appreciate it the next time you see my wife struggling to pull a full wastemaster and water barrel if you would help her as it is so simple! Unfortuantely I am not capable of helping her. She prefers it if the waastemaster were slightly lighter.

As for desposits of detergent left that will ruin your awning, please don't joke with me and enjoy your meal.

 

[RogerL]

Unless the site/CL/CS owner gives clear, specific instructions otherwise then grey water from any source should NOT be discharged anywhere other than down a drain - end of story, no debate. It's inconsiderate on the next users of the pitch as well as risking damage to awnings and health.

Ian, if you and your wife can't manage a full Wastemaster, why not empty it more often before it's full - or use a smaller waste container, the jerrycan/rectangular 23 litre ones are still available but you would also need a trolley to move it. That's exactly what we do, the trolley being able to carry the jerrycan-type fresh and waste tanks as well as the toilet cassette.

 

[swpostie]

Hi Ian,

If I saw your wife (or anyone else for that matter) struggling, of course I would offer my assistance.

But, as Roger said, if she struggles with a full wastemaster why doesn't she empty it before it gets full?

She could, presumably, only half fill the aquaroll so that, when she has to refill it she could also take the half-full wastemaster too!

Are you saying then Ian that, as you have difficulty emptying a waste-water container and haven't found a way to resolve that difficulty, that you just let your dirty waste water run straight onto the pitch?

Must be lovely for whoever has the pitch after you.

 

[Rodger Dodger]

Ian -

You obviously do not bother with an awning as you would perhaps then understand why the comments are coming your way. I think I can sum this up - inconsiderate to fellow caravaners. It is such as shame that some people think and act in this way.

 

[Surfer]

Only the shower water which is less than 10 litres and relatively clean with minimum of soap. As tis is soap that you put on your body perhaps it will affect the water proofing on your awning if you touch the awning1

I think that a person spilling blue on the grass could do more damage.

Why is every one so evasive about my questioning draining hot water boilers, toilet flush tanks and on board water tanks onto pitches. Not even boo from any one.

 

[weejock]

Ian

I normally stop as I leave a site and pop in the van to open the hot water tap to let it drain. I always like to stop after 5 miles just to make sure everything is okay and close the tap then.

As for the toilet flush well I am a scotsman and since I have paid for the additive I drain it into an empty 5 ltr bottle,

The onboard tank I try to have empty on the morning that we leave, just drawing the water that we need from the aquaroll.

 

[Rodger Dodger]

Ian

I normally stop as I leave a site and pop in the van to open the hot water tap to let it drain. I always like to stop after 5 miles just to make sure everything is okay and close the tap then.

As for the toilet flush well I am a scotsman and since I have paid for the additive I drain it into an empty 5 ltr bottle,

The onboard tank I try to have empty on the morning that we leave, just drawing the water that we need from the aquaroll.

Slowcoach - how considerate. I turn off boiler use the last water up so it runs cold, toilet rinse, what is left goes in the cassette. Open boiler tap on the way out on the road as it is now cold water coming out so it would not harm any child in case they happen to investigate the water. See Ian, it can be done with a little thought and consideration.

 

[Terrym1]

Hi Ian

draining hot water tank onto grass is a sure way of killing the grass, if it is hot water.(it's like boiling lettuce)If you turn the boiler off and then flush cold water through the tank into your waste carrier then the same damage will not be done to the grass when you drain the tank,but why not wait till you're off site to open the valve and save your wife moving the extra weight in the carrier.

I don't empty the toilet flush I just don't add lots of water on the run up to leaving site, and I can see no reason for anyone to empty this onto their pitch.

As we don't have an onboard water tank I don't have any experience but again would not over fill if I was leaving shortly and would not release up to 40 litre of water onto a grass pitch that someone else is about to occupy.

I'm not really sure what the argument is all about!

I have stayed on CL's which are lawned gardens at the side of houses and I'm sure, if it were my garden, I would not want anyone disposing of waste water, hot ,cold clean or contaminated,onto my lawn.

Treat other people's property with respect and you may be able to return!!!