We don’t blame you if you don’t want to think about it – in fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if it never crossed your mind – but grey water tanks are a critical part of camping. If you’re staying in a caravan park, then these little issues are taken care of, curtesy of the toilets, drains, laundry, and cooking facilities provided. If you free camp, however, it might be time for you to invest in a grey water tank, and here’s why.
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What is grey water?
This is all the water that comes from sinks, showers and washing machines. Essentially, all the dirty water that you use in your day to day lives that makes things clean again. Whilst it’s different from black water, the water used to flush your waste away, it still isn’t great to leave it behind when you’ve moved on from one free camp to the next. -
Why should I take my water with me?
You may be thinking ‘what’s wrong with water?’ Unfortunately, your grey water is full of everything from soapy residue to the oils you’ve used whilst cooking. Not unlike littering, grey water can have a number of adverse effects on the environment – especially if you’re camping near a water source. -
How does this effect the environment?
Apart from the obvious pests and insects you’re attracting to your camp site, there are many other ways that grey water impacts the environment around us. Local flora and fauna aren’t benefiting from excess, chemical laden water being dumped in their homes, and if it finds its way into a water stream, it can reach much more than simply the immediate area. Without a grey water tank, you can even lead to erosion of the sites and the access roads! You may not think it’s a problem if it’s just you who is dumping water, but when there is a whole world of people thinking along those lines, it becomes a major issue. -
Am I legally required to?
Whilst we aren’t at this stage, we don’t think it will be too long before laws like this come into effect. In some free campsites are only open to fully self-sufficientcampers, travellers were required to take all rubbish, including water, with them. National parks across the country are also following suit, introducing grey water guidelines to help educate campers on the acceptable treatment of grey water – often requiring disposal outside of the park.
We thinking free camping is a privilege, and not one that should be taken lightly. When it’s this easy to do your bit – simply by installing a grey water tank – why shouldn’t you. Leave your free camp sites the way you found them, so they can be enjoyed by many future generations to come.