Grey Water to Fresh Water

[JD_]

Has anyone configured/converted their grey water tank to fresh water for more off grid camping?

[Steph and Dud B]

What would you do with your grey water?

[SeaDawg]

To my knowledge,  neither the black nor grey tank are certified for freshwater. Even if they were, the way they connect in an Ollie  would make them inappropriate for use for fresh. 

We carry 5 gallon jugs for longer trips, in the truckbed. 

A few have figured out a way to use the black tank (unused with a composting toilet) for extra grey water capacity.

And, as Steph and Dub said, what would you do with the grey water, anyway?

[John E Davies]

You could get creative like these truck camper owners. Where do you camp? It is not legally allowed anywhere, but many desert boondockiers will irrigate the sage bushes with grey water and a 3/4”” garden hose. Not that I would ever do that, but I might have maybe once or twice accidentally…. 

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-mods/projects/grey-auxiliary-tanks-for-campers/

I think it makes a lot more sense to install a composting toilet if you don’t already have one, and use the black tank for grey storage, but you risk having the system backing up and flooding the bathroom. You would need pumps and isolation valves.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[MAX Burner]

49 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

It is not legally allowed anywhere, but many desert boondockiers will irrigate the sage bushes with grey water and a 3/4”” garden hose. Not that I would ever do that, but I might have maybe once or twice accidentally…. 

What's done in Quartzite - stays in Quartzite....  just say'n 😎

[Bikerabbi]

On 6/29/2023 at 10:56 AM, JD_ said:

Has anyone configured/converted their grey water tank to fresh water for more off grid camping?

I would very much like to find some way to do that, also.  Our plan is full time living a d to some how get some more gallons of fresh water would be great.  I do not want to lug extra water in vehicle if it can be avoided.  If we can go to the moon and Mars, we can find a way to do this....🤔😄

[Steph and Dud B]

I can't imagine full timing without a grey tank. There will be lots of places you end up in your travels that absolutely will not let you drain grey water onto the ground (including all of the Eastern US). You could get kicked out of the campground or even fined by the police. There's lots of truck bed water bladders available for extra fresh water. This one is food-grade. Just hook it up to your winterizing port and top off your tank. Available in 10, 25, or 50 gallon sizes:

Jenlis Ivy Bag Large Drinking Water Bladder, Food Grade & BPA Free Container, Compact Collapsible & Foldable Storage https://a.co/d/aQE7Q8a

[Bikerabbi]

5 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

I can't imagine full timing without a grey tank. There will be lots of places you end up in your travels that absolutely will not let you drain grey water onto the ground (including all of the Eastern US). You could get kicked out of the campground or even fined by the police. There's lots of truck bed water bladders available for extra fresh water. This one is food-grade. Just hook it up to your winterizing port and top off your tank. Available in 10, 25, or 50 gallon sizes:

Jenlis Ivy Bag Large Drinking Water Bladder, Food Grade & BPA Free Container, Compact Collapsible & Foldable Storage https://a.co/d/aQE7Q8a

Good.  Thank you.  I guess I don't understand the system well enough:  I somehow thought that if I have a composting toilet,  then the black tank would go unused and it then could somehow be used for extra drinking water...

[SeaDawg]

3 hours ago, Bikerabbi said:

I somehow thought that if I have a composting toilet,  then the black tank would go unused and it then could somehow be used for extra drinking water

The plastic used in black tanks generally, and specifically,  in Oliver, is not rated for fresh/potable water.

The plumbing system in Oliver (and many other rvs) cojoins the grey and black, allowing for the leakage of grey and black, so, yuk, no way I'd use the black for fresh. 

You could find a way to use the black tank for additional grey, which can be helpful in the east. And, carry fresh is the truck bed, as we do.

This has been discussed many times. It's just kind of a ",just don't do it, don't even think about it" thing.

[ScubaRx]

In case nobody noticed, the OP (JD), made his original post on 06-29-2023, never participated in the thread or answered anyone's questions, he apparently lost interest and left the building not having been seen again since 07-27-2023. He asked the question and I’m addressing these comments to him even though he may never see them.

Since this thread has been revived...  Let me preface by saying this information is for boondocking situations. If you ALWAYS camp in campgrounds with full hookups, you can stop reading now, you will find nothing helpful here and probably won’t understand where I’m coming from.

The fresh water tank is for carrying your well, - fresh water. Most folks do not drink from their fresh tank. There's nothing wrong with doing so, but if I decided to, I'd want to sanitize mine more often than the two times its been done since 2014.

The gray water tank's only purpose is to collect water from both sinks and the shower drain. If you NEVER shower, brush your teeth or wash your hands and dishes or use water from the tap for any reason inside the trailer, then I can accept the fact that you do not need a gray tank. But should any of the aforementioned situations occur while boondocking, you’re going to need that gray tank.

Even still, the gray tank is not certified for fresh water use. Although, if you're not drinking from it and (somehow) haven’t been using it to collect your "used" water I don't see why you couldn't do it. I believe you need a gray tank.

The black water tank is sitting under the toilet and, with a regular toilet, catches everything that goes in from the top. If you have a composting toilet, then I assume you know how to operate it.

I understand the thought process in believing that it would be nice to have more water on board. It naturally follows if you have an extra tank or two, why not re-purpose one or both of them to hold the extra water. Truthfully, I’ve never had a problem finding water to fill my fresh tank. And that’s during a long time and a hell of a lot of miles. It’s everywhere you are, I have a few helpful tips for finding and getting it but maybe in another thread.

 

[ScubaRx]

 

On 6/30/2023 at 6:10 PM, John E Davies said:

It is not legally allowed anywhere, but many desert boondockiers will irrigate the sage bushes with grey water and a 3/4”” garden hose. Not that I would ever do that, but I might have maybe once or twice accidentally….

On 6/30/2023 at 7:01 PM, MAX Burner said:

What's done in Quartzite - stays in Quartzite....  just say'n 😎

 

This question is for the guys only. Who among you doesn't pee outside just to save room in the black/pee tanks? Don't lie, if you say you've never done it, the rest of us will just laugh at you and call you a sissy boy.

[SeaDawg]

@JD_ your question has come up a myriad of times,, over the years.

The answer, unfortunately, is always, no.

But, an easy solution has always neen, an extra water source in the truckbed. 

Good luck with your decision. 

[jd1923]

On 6/30/2023 at 4:10 PM, John E Davies said:

It is not legally allowed anywhere, but many desert boondockers will irrigate the sage bushes with grey water...

Actually, this is not true. See USFS publication: Dispersed Camping (usda.gov)

In most of the eastern US, states that were originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, and much of the northwest, it would be quite difficult to "carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes." We camp in the high desert all the time, and drop our grey, when necessary, as written in the Dispersed Camping guidelines. Talking to locals, yeah that's the way. I imagine some of you are appalled, but realistically bacteria cannot survive in the sun, on the desert ground, for more than a few minutes. Arizona is 51% public lands (FS and BLM). Drain slowly, before you leave, and all's good.

We have found, it's a full grey tank that limits # days out when dry-camping, but that's when we had a Bigfoot Class-C with a 63-gal fresh tank and 35 grey. And a 15-gal black tank will keep you a long time! The fresh tank on the Oliver is way too small. We only have a little experience with OTT, but both times I filled our fresh tank from home, we only got it to take 20+ gallons before it overflowed. It's a bad design these wide flat tanks without baffles. There is absolutely nowhere on our property to level the Oliver within 100 ft of water. A 5-gal water bottle will not suffice either, not for us. Bladder in the truck? Why, I'd rather just have a tank, strapped front of the truck bed, 35-gal tank from TSC. So now we leave home with 50+ gallons fresh. Grey tank converted to fresh, what are you thinking?!

Keep in mind the concept of Dispersed Camping, where we camp it's miles from water sources, other campers too. Not legal in cities, even Quartzite, and not on any city, county, or private property of course.

Years ago, we lived in N VA, western Loudoun County, on a 13-acre property. The grandparents were visiting, and we were all out at our swimming pool. When grandpa told our son Adam (then 6 years old), he had to walk back to the house to pee. Adam said, "Grandpa, let me show you. We pee behind the pool house. Come on, nobody can see us back here!" Grandpa laughed and followed. Not that a little pee is what's filling your grey tank! Carrying your dish pan outside, doesn't help much either.

[NCeagle]

6 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

 

This question is for the guys only. Who among you doesn't pee outside just to save room in the black/pee tanks? Don't lie, if you say you've never done it, the rest of us will just laugh at you and call you a sissy boy.

Yep.  I don't know about everyone else, but the grey water rules are confusing because it seems legal to create grey water in any manner as long as you don't collect it.  It's certainly ok to pee outside in the wilderness - but don't dare spill any pee out of your bucket on the way to the restroom...  and sure -  it seems many folks set up an outdoor shower and wash off your body and/or dog and/or dishes - but don't let any of that same type water run out of your grey tank or you will be fined and kicked out of the US if caught.  We've been spending extra on biodegradable soap for everything in our Ollie, but it seems a waste of money given the rules.  If I'm close enough to home I just bring my grey water home and water my plants with it.  They are all very healthy.  🙂 

[Steph and Dud B]

9 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

Who among you doesn't pee outside just to save room in the black/pee tanks?

Funny, I've done that more at home than while RVing. Home is a wooded acre but can't think of any campground around here where I could get away with it. Really envious of those who live closer to true boondocking areas. The closest we get is dry camping in state parks with neighbors all on sides.

But at least the ice cream shops are always close to the campgrounds around here!