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Dump Point Etiquette |
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Some may say that chivalry is a lost art and that manners and etiquette are quickly slipping away with the rapid changes and speeding up of our modern lives. Many such social rules sprang out of a need for hygiene and safety in our day to day activities and as new procedures and products come into our lives we should take a moment to reflect on these. This article I hope will serve as a conversation starter for a modern extension of an old set of social standards - Dump Point Etiquette.
Clean and safe disposal of black and grey water is important for everyone who uses dump points around Australia .
Black and Grey water contain a wide variety of pathogens and so pose a significant possible health hazard for you, those travelling with you and the travellers who will use the dump point facilities after you.
Here are a few pointers.
Equipment.
Make sure your tanks, plumbing and seals are in good shape as cracks or splits can result in a complete or partial failure of your black or grey water system. Failure of any part of your system can lead to unpleasant and dangerous problems including odours in your Motorhome, leaks onto public places such as roads, parks and waterways, and could make disposal of the material from your system a disagreeable experience indeed. Any leaks should be cleaned up as best as the conditions will allow, minimising the risk to safety, hygiene, health and useability.
Chemicals The CMCA strongly advise the use of formaldehyde-free, ‘bio-stimulant’ toilet chemicals as they are safer to store and handle, are better for the environment and can be disposed of in any toilet or dump point system. If you are currently using other types of sterilising agents make yourself aware of the kinds of toilet systems that you can use to dump your waste. Many small towns, parks and rest areas have what is basically an over-grown septic system which may be severely affected by the dumping of these sterilising agents into their sewage system.
Dumping
Dumping from your waste water tanks should always be carried out using an appropriate dump point or toilet system whenever possible. Any dumping of black or grey water into the open environment must be completely buried so that it can’t be easily exhumed, more than 100 metres from a water course, more than 1 km from human habitation including campsites and not within gazetted national parks or reserves. Dumping in this manner still poses some problems and should only be undertaken in absolute emergency situations.
When you have completed the dumping process make sure that you give the seals and hose nozzles a quick rinse if there is water near by. It is also a good idea to give the dump point a spray with the hose if one is available so that the next visitor isn’t presented with a mess when they arrive at the dump point – A clean dump point in good order takes some of the hassle out of the job and is always pleasant to find.
The hose that often accompanies a dump point is provided for rinsing black and grey water equipment and should not be used for filling your fresh water tanks as they may not contain potable drinking water and may be contaminated. It is also a great idea to clean your hands with soap as soon as the ‘operation’ is over. Taking this simple step will stop the spread of germs from the dump site shenanigans to the rest of your motorhoming fun.
It’s all common sense really and boils down to motorhomers treating black and grey water with due care and cleaning up the dump point, any spills and your hands after using these facilities.
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CMCA Members have access to a searchable database (GeoWiki) of dump points, caravan parks, campsites and more (Members only).
Alternatively, a list of public dump points is available to the general public.
Or for more information, visit the link below on dump point locations.