Latest / Boondocking Tips: Off-Grid Camping, RV Travel & Van Life / Greywater and Sewage Near Lakes: Eco-Safe Practices and Laws

Transcript

Greywater and Sewage Near Lakes: Eco-Safe Practices and Laws · Boondocking Tips: Off-Grid Camping, RV Travel & Van Life

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Gray water and sewage management for lakeside boondocking.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Lakeside boondockers must manage gray water, dish, shower, sink water, and black water, toilet waste, carefully to protect water quality and comply with laws.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: This guy compares toilet systems, composting, cassette, RV black tanks with or without urine diversion, and shows how they affect water use and waste volume.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: It then reviews legal requirements such as minimum setback distances from lakes, soil absorption rules, and when to pack out or evaporate gray water, and offers low-impact dishwashing tips.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: We'll debunk biodegradable soap myths and end with a checklist and decision map for wet and dry conditions.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Toilet systems, composting, cassette, and black tanks.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Composting dry toilets.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Modern composting or dry toilets, often waterless and odor-vented, use no flush water and separate solids and liquids.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Because they require no water per flush, they generate essentially no black water or gray water from toilet use.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well-known examples, e.g., Nature's Head, Separate, collect urine in a small container, and hold solids in a composting chamber.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: This means minimal wastewater volume, plus high comfort and less frequent dumping.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Users only empty dry waste bucket periodically.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: In practice, composting units dramatically cut overall waste.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Only occasional hand wipe rinse water or cleaning solution, if needed, enters the graywater stream.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Urine-diverting composting toilets further reduce liquid.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: By channeling urine to its own container, they eliminate the need to flush with water altogether.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Note, urine is more than 90% water, so this cuts most liquid waste.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: The urine can be disposed on soil well away from water or diluted and dispersed on ground, if allowed.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Portable cassette toilets.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: These small self-contained toilets, also called chemical toilets, have a toilet bowl and a removable holding tank.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: They use some flush liquid, often pumped in and may mix it with solid waste.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: They yield moderate gray black water volumes.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: For a typical cassette unit, one flush might use around 0.5 to 2 gallons of water chemical solution.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: The waste is stored in the cassette tank until you empty it at a dump station or toilet.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Tassette toilets are more water efficient than full-size RV tanks, but still produce wastes that must be disposed properly.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Urine-diverting portable models exist.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: By separating urine into a smaller chamber, these can reduce flush frequency and volume, easing disposal.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: RV blackwater tanks.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: Traditional RV toilets use onboard holding tanks that collect all toilet contents plus the flesh water.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: They produce the largest volume of sewage among these options.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Each flush can use one to three gallons or more of fresh water, quickly filling the tank.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: This typically means frequent trips to dump stations.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Blackwater tanks also carry sinks and shower drains, grey water in many RVs, doubling the waste stream.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: In cold weather, blackwater tanks must be winterized or emptied to avoid freezing.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Some RVers use urine-diverting retrofit inserts or dual flush valves to cut waste.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: By diverting or reducing the liquid portion of waste, they shrink the tank volume and water use.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: In general, less water per flush, as in composting or diverting systems, means less greywater produced.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Legal framework.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Greywater and sewage disposal regulations vary by jurisdiction, but a few key rules apply in most U.S.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: public lands.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Federal land rules.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: National Park Service NPS regulations strictly forbid dumping any waste or draining refuse, including greywater, except at approved facilities.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: NPS areas effectively require pack-out or use of facilities for both blackwater and greywater.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: The U.S.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Forest Service likewise prohibits placing pollutants near water or leaving waste in unsanitary conditions.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Forest Service rules explicitly ban placing any substance near a stream or lake that may pollute it.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: The Bureau of Land Management, BLM, is the notable exception.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: BLM allows dumping washwater, gray water, on undeveloped lands as long as it's not in developed campsites.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Washwater is generally defined as water used for washing or cleaning.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: Wastewater from sinks, showers, etc., is technically allowed on BLM public lands if dispersed responsibly.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Laws on sewage, regardless of location, discharging untreated sewage, human waste, into lakes or streams is illegal under Federal Clean Water Act provisions.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: For example, U.S.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: boating laws prohibit dumping any untreated sewage within three miles offshore, including lakes, rivers, or reservoirs.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Many states extend this.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, California forbids dumping any human waste into lakes or in harbors.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Practically, this means black water must be sealed until flushed at a proper dump station.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: It also underscores why gray water should stay out of water.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Setback distances.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: Both federal advice and many state local codes require keeping gray water and waste disposal well away from water bodies.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: The safe separation usually ranges from 50 to 100 feet up to 200 feet, 60 meters from shorelines.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Leave no trace, LNT principles, explicitly instruct campers to carry dish and body washwater at least 200 feet from streams, lakes, or campsites.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: A Canadian backcountry guide similarly advises scattering greywater in a broad arc 60 plus meters from water sources.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Some states codify distances, e.g., Colorado campground regulations require any pit toilet latrine be at least 50 feet from lakes or streams.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is to ensure soil has room to filter and decompose contaminants before they reach water.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: In practice, whenever possible, one should be well beyond the ridgeline or 100 to 200 foot buffer from any water body before dumping gray water on the ground.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Soil absorption.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Disposal methods depend on soil type.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Sandy or gravelly soils with good drainage can absorb graywater and allow microbes to break down contaminants.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Saturated, clay, or frozen soils cannot absorb water, so dumping over land will cause runoff or pooling.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: If the ground won't soak it up, do not dump.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: In such cases, high water table, recent heavy rain, rocky ground or snow, the best solutions are to pack out graywater or use an evaporation method.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: The famous Burning Man Festival, with very strict leave-no-trace rules, actually requires participants to pack out any graywater they create.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: For lake camping, this means if your site is swampy or the ground is brittle rock, you should collect wastewater in containers and empty it at a drain field or toilet later.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Some seasoned campers also carry collapsible tanks or dry bed composters to hold greywater in uncertain conditions.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: One historic option has been to scatter greywater in a small hole to evaporate, the sump method, but modern ethics favor the scatter method on soil instead of a concentrated pit.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Pack out versus disposal.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: If local regulations or site conditions forbid on-site disposal, pack it out.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Grey water can be carried out in empty jugs or buckets.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: As Burning Man Advice notes, you can accumulate washwater and remove it from the site.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Household style soaps should never go into containers you'll reuse for drinking water.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: In wilderness areas, packing out sewage, solid waste, is increasingly required.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: Similarly, any heavy grease or soapy water may be better carried out or evaporated, e.g., by scattering on gravel or a large tarp in sun.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: In all cases, never dump gray water directly on a lakeshore or into a sinkhole.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Low impact dishwashing and soap use.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Minimizing the impact of washwater is crucial.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Follow the classic scrape, strain, scatter, or evaporate.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Routine.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: Scrape.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Remove all food scraps from dishes into the trash.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: This prevents attracting wildlife and concentrates nutrients in a handleable form.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: Strain.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: Pour washwater through a fine mesher cloth to catch remaining solids.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Dispose of these solids in your garbage, never in nature.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: A bandana or strainer works.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Many backcountry guides underline that food particles attract wildlife.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Wash minimal soap.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Use up to three pots method.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: One, wash.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Two, rinse.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Boiling water if possible.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: Three, sanitize.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Use hot water and scrubbing to remove grease first.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Biological organisms often recommend not using soap at all unless needed.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, boiling water and scrubbing often cleans dishes well.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you must use soap for heavy grease, use only a tiny amount of biodegradable soap with a bowl and never spill any directly into nature.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Wash water can be chlorinated, as in solar still bags, if needed for odor control on a packout camp.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Guidelines note that dirty dishwater contains food smells, so burying it helps activity over broad scattering.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Bars of castile or other biodegradable soaps still contain surfactants and nutrients, so the best practice is to minimize their use.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: Scatter evaporate.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: After washing, take the strained gray water at least 200 feet, approximately 60 meters from the lake/slash stream.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Scatter it widely in a thin layer over a vegetated or downwind absorbent spot.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Swing the dishwater container in a broad arc so it soaks in over a wide area.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Do not dump all your water in one spot.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: A puddle of sudsy water kills grass and fisheries, creates odors, and fails to soak in.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're in extremely arid or impermeable ground, you may need to help it evaporate.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: Spread it on rocks or gravel in sun.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: In a sheltered place to avoid runoff, or dig a shallow pit to trap water and allow sun evaporation.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: In winter or freezing conditions, gray water will freeze quickly.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Still, scatter it away from ice so the spring thaw doesn't wash contaminants into the lake.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: Importantly, washwater should never be emptied into latrines or toilets.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Toilets and vaults are for human waste only.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Pouring dishwater or shampoo into a toilet can overload systems and increase odor.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, keep such greywater out of sanitation facilities.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Biodegradable soap, myth versus reality.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: The term biodegradable on soap labels is often misunderstood.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: Biodegradable simply means that given time, microbes can break the product down.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: It does not mean instantly harmless.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: In outdoor conditions, cold water, low bacteria, even green soap can take weeks to decompose and its byproducts may be problematic.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Many soaps contain nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen that are precisely what aquatic ecosystems usually need to limit.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: For example, in New Hampshire, most soaps with phosphorus have been banned because the phosphorus causes algal blooms and oxygen depletion in lakes.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: In practice, biodegradable soaps still harm aquatic life.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: As Leave No Trace warns, any soap and water can increase nitrogen and actually cause significant harm to aquatic inhabitants.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Soaps often don't fully decompose before being washed into a lake.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: The LNT Skinny on Soap states getting any soap in a water source is not acceptable.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: The soap can cause all sorts of issues from increased nitrogen to significant harm to aquatic life.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: So avoid washing in the lake stream, even with biodegradable soap.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Always wash well away from water and scatter the wastewater on land, as above.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, dilution is not a safe solution.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Dirty water should be treated as a pollutant, unless you can broadcast it harmlessly on land far from water.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: When in doubt, use the minimum amount of soap, or none, and follow the scatter guidelines.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Compliance checklist and disposal decision guide.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: On-site checklist, know the rules, identify who manages the land.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: If it's BLM public land or designated backcountry where rules are lax, you may be allowed to scatter graywater, still following buffers.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: If it's Forest Service or Park Service territory, assume dumping graywater is forbidden.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: You'll need to pack it out or predispose in approved facilities.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: When in doubt, contact the land manager or check posted rules.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: Buffers.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: Always dispose of graywater at least 200 feet, approximately 60 meters from any lake, stream, wetland, or campsite.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Mark this distance before creating wastewater.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Soil check.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Ensure the ground is dry and absorbent.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: If the soil is saturated, frozen, or clay, do not dump.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, plan to carry out or evaporate.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Solid waste.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Pack out all garbage and food scraps.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Even biodegradable items should be buried only in a calf hole.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Do not mix them with graywater.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: Never dump food scraps or fat outdoors.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: These attract animals and do not decompose quickly.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: Wastewater treatment.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: If you must use soap, choose a EPA-approved percent waterproof container to hold graywater until disposal or treat with chlorine before scattering, especially in high-use camps, to kill bacteria, odors.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Emergency plan.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: If heavy rain or flooding occurs, gray water that you scattered may run off.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: In advance, be prepared to bale water into absorbent ground or carry it out in a secure jerry can.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: Disposal decision guide.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: Normal ground, absorbent dry conditions.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: Strain and scatter graywater on soil 200 feet from water.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Bury minimal human waste in cath holes at least 200 feet from water.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: Use portable toilet or pit, depending on amenities.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: High water table, saturated soil, no dumping on or near soil.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: Either pack out graywater in containers, portable tanks, jugs, or use evaporation.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Pour washed water onto vegetation or rock where sunlight and air can evaporate it safely, well away from water.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: Alternatively, wait for drier conditions or improve drainage, e.g., dig a deeper pit well off camp, so waste can percolate safely.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Reminder: some areas may require all waste packed out.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: Follow local regulations exactly.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: Winter snow.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: Greywater will freeze near the surface.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: Choose a spot away from ice.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: You may need to save it in jugs, prevent freezing by adding a bit of bleach salt water, or let it freeze on rocks for later pickup.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Pack out any sanitized greywater solids.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Using a toilet in sensitive zones.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you use a toilet, vault, or bucket, empty it only at designated dump stations.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: If required, pack out all solid waste in sealable bags, e.g.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: hiker's wag bag, and bury or transfer at a latrine facility.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: Never throw toilet waste into lake or leave on surface.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: Post activity.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: Before leaving, inspect your site.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Cover any waste holes and disperse any remaining graywater residue.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: Ensure you leave no visual or odor trace.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: By following the scrape strain scatter method and planning for extreme conditions, campers can meet legal and ethical obligations.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: A quick compliance checklist.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Did I bring all appropriate containers?
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Strainer, soap in hand, basin, jug?
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Do I know if this is BLM, washwater okay, versus forest NPS land, no dumping?
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: Have I marked 200 feet from water as my washing zone?
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: Dash, am I prepared to pack out waste if rain, snow, rocky soil prevents safe disposal?
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: Have I completely buried or removed any waste?
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: By combining the right toilet system, e.g., a waterless or urine-diverting toilet with these low-impact practices and legal precautions, lakeside campers can boondock safely and compliantly without harming water resources.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: All links to sources are available in the text version of this article.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the full article at boondocking.tipslash blog.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: For more research driven boondocking guides, off grid camping tips, RV travel advice, and van life strategies, visit boondocking.tips.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's boondocking.tips for the full written research and new camping updates.