Wastewater Disposal

[SeaSpray]

I am a fairly recent porta potty user (CD22). On Lake Powell it was very convenient to empty it at the floating stations. They even had fresh water to rinse it out.

I am wondering what most people do in other areas. Do you carry the tank into a bathroom somewhere and empty it?

I will be going to the Desolation Sound trip and I know they don't have the porta potty stations. I have also seen signs asking you to not empty porta potty's in the bathroom - what then?

This is not a problem for short trips but when we are going to a new area and will be out for 2 weeks it might be.

Thanks,
Steve

[El and Bill]

Lake Powell is a marvelous exception -- floating stations, with convenient drop point and water flush available. Easy, quick, clean.

Our standard technique is after a trip, to spend a night (or more) at a campground (preferably a state park, where the scenary is usually good and sites large). Campgrounds have RV dump stations that have good disposal facilities and easy flush water available. We 'camp' in the boat and have time to scrub her up before the next cruise.

Some states have RV dumps available at highway rest areas or welcome stations, and they could be used en route home.

On extended cruises, we ask at marinas if it is ok to use their toilet facility (with promise to keep it spotless) and we find that when we ask they assume we will be responsible and dispose properly.

We once used the standard pump-out machine, fitted with a 'wand' small enough to insert into the porta-potty orifice, when all else was unavailable -- most stations don't have a 'wand' that fits, we have been told.

[Minnow]

Many boat ramps and parks in my area have porta-johns at them. I have always assumed that it was ok to dump in them, (the porta-potties that is) but it might not be accepted practice.

[octopotomus]

We too were wondering about the portapottie emptying issue. We keep our boat in a marina and were instructed that we couldn't empty in the marina toilets because they were on a septic tank system. They said that we could use the pumpout but would need an "adaptor" of some sort. Would this be the "wand" that was mentioned? If so, does anybody have any idea where to get or how to make one? Could something be attached to the dump spout on the holding tank?

Scott and Teri on <grin>

[Pat Anderson]

While you may cringe, it is legal to dump your holding tank or porta potti in open waters in Canada - there are a few "no discharge" areas, but in Juan de Fuca or Georgia Strait, you can just dump it overboard (shoot, Victoria discharges raw sewage for the whole city right into Juan de Fuca) - and frankly, I am not sure what the alternatives would be there, especially if denied permission to use a marina restroom toilet..."Dilution is the solution!" Or of course, you could get a composting marine head

[teflonmom]

We have used potties for years. Asking at many marins will work. Camp grounds and hiway rest areas with trailer dumps or truck stops that cater to RVs have dump stations.

While on the water we look for launch areas with jiffy johns. Many times these places are deserted and you can dump into their facility. On the Erie canal almost all locks have jiffy johns and no one has ever said anything to us. Always clean up any mess you make-leave the john better than you found it.

Note: At 3AM most marinas won't say a thing!

Fred and Pat

[SeaSpray]

Thanks for the variety of responses. I had not thought of using an RV dump.

If I were forced to dump overboard I would prefer to use just a bucket and water and not put the chemicals overboard. The first charter boat I rented in the San Jauns the check out included pumping the holding tank overboard out in the channel.

Steve

[Byrdman]

I had to grin when back home on Old Hickory Lake/Cumberland River... We are all very careful with and about this issue....and when up river a bit we went back into Hidden Cove.... and.... there were about 25 cows happily grazing at waters edge.... Kinda made me go hummm.

[octopotomus]

I found it! The item that we need in order to use the standard marine pumpout for our portapotties is called a "Potty Wand." I think that there may be a couple of manufacturers of something similar, but Edson has one for $16 here --> http://www.edsonpumps.com/CoastalData/showprod.cfm?&DID=20&CATID=13&ObjectGroup_ID=28


I think that Edson also has a 10% discount if you order it online.

Scott and Teri on <grin>

[Larry H]

Here is a link to the Canadian rules on sewage discharge, including a list of 'no discharge zones'.

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/S-9/SOR-91-661/52404.html#rid-52434