One of many hardest issues about wild parking or staying off-grid with a motorhome or campervan is realizing how one can discover recent, secure consuming water and applicable gray and black waste disposal factors while you’re on the street, particularly within the UK which is loads tougher than motorhoming in Europe.
Nevertheless, don’t let the confusion put you off. There are many choices for motorhomes and campervans to soundly eliminate waste and get water- which we’re going to share with you right here.
Don’t neglect to seize your free motorhome wild tenting guidelines right here that will help you arrange your van to remain in a single day with out electrical energy or services.
*We work arduous to make this one of the best motorhome journey weblog and street journey web site doable, stuffed with useful content material for you. The web site is supported by our readers, so in the event you purchase by hyperlinks on this website we might earn a commission- at no additional price to you. All opinions stay our personal.
In case you discover this put up helpful, you may additionally deal with us to a espresso – we promise to take pleasure in it whereas creating extra helpful content material like this- we’d even bask in a biscuit (or two!)
Motorhome waste and discovering water – what’s the massive deal?
In case you do all of your motorhoming on campsites, this would possibly look like a silly query. In spite of everything- it’s straightforward… you simply join your hose to the faucet on the campsite, and empty your gray tank and bathroom cassette into the suitable areas.
And also you’re not unsuitable. However…
My guess is most individuals involved about discovering water and waste disposal while in a motorhome or campervan aren’t planning on staying on campsites- or at the least not ones with services. In actual fact, there’s a very good probability that you simply’re planning on staying off-grid along with your van, having fun with a spot of motorhome wild tenting and customarily wish to be as distant from campsites as doable.
With that in thoughts, let’s get began.
Motorhome Waste Disposal
Earlier than we get began, let’s discuss in regards to the various kinds of waste. Gray waste is bathe and sink soiled water and black waste is bathroom waste.
In most locations, you may’t eliminate them in the identical place. Gray water goes down a drain and black waste goes right into a chemical bathroom disposal level. It’s necessary to grasp that distinction earlier than we go on to the various kinds of waste disposal factors.
Watch the video
Desire to look at as an alternative of learn? Right here’s the video in regards to the info on this put up. Nevertheless, since filming I’ve added in additional particulars and information that will help you, so that you would possibly wish to give this put up a skim too.
We hope you discovered the video helpful. In case you did, why not comply with us on Youtube. We share new movies with ideas for motorhoming and campervanning within the UK and Europe weekly, plus street journey concepts and epic locations.
The place to search out Motorhome waste disposal factors
Let’s begin with the plain one- in the event you want recent consuming water and a secure place to eliminate gray and black waste, one of the best place to go is a correct motorhome campsite.
I do know, I do know- we’ve already talked about that you simply’re attempting to keep away from these- however they are surely one of the best place to go to for motorhome services.
Normally, I begin my motorhoming holidays with an empty van, because the van is saved in storage and I’m unable to refill with recent water there. For that motive, I attempt to guide the primary evening of any journey right into a campsite. I additionally do the identical on the final night- so I can empty the gray and black waste correctly and drain any remaining recent water which could nonetheless be within the tanks.
In fact, in the summertime you principally seemingly must guide up prematurely with a purpose to get an area, but when you recognize when your journey will begin, it’s simpler to know the place you may keep.
And, in the event you’re planning to remain on campsites with waste disposal services and water in your total journey, then it’s easy- you simply use these.
However what if you wish to keep away from campsites?
How do you discover water and waste disposal for the remainder of your time on the street in the event you don’t wish to keep in a single day on a campsite?? Nicely, there are a number of choices. You might be both:
- Go to a campsite and pay to make use of their companies
- Area people factors – like group facilities and automobile parks (some are beginning to present motorhome service factors for a small price)
- In Europe, use a motorhome aire or service level
- Use public services (not beneficial however helpful in a pinch)
Paying for campsite services
Within the UK, the place there isn’t a big community of aires and motorhomers aren’t as nicely catered for, I nonetheless advocate utilizing campsite services as typically as doable.
Many campsites will help you pay a small price (someplace between £5-£10) with a purpose to refill your recent water tank, empty gray waste and your bathroom cassette.
I’ve discovered higher success with this by both utilizing campsites which overtly say they permit this (look on their web sites) or utilizing smaller, unbiased campsites. Anybody working a website from a farm or area as an unbiased enterprise are more likely to permit a ‘pit cease’.
You’ll be able to telephone prematurely (beneficial in the event you’re a bigger automobile or tow a trailer along with your motorhome like we do) however I’ve had higher success by simply turning up and asking politely to pay for utilizing their companies.
TOP TIP: Do NOT flip up at a motorhome membership campsite (like a CMC or CCC website) on a Friday or Sunday throughout summer season or college holidays. They are going to be WAY too busy to take care of you and are more likely to say no.
Europe aires & service factors
In case you are motorhoming in Europe, life is loads simpler! In addition to aires (be taught how one can discover aires and in a single day parking in Europe), there are additionally a system of motorhome service factors, typically at service areas on motorways.
To make use of these, you simply want to tug up, pay the price (often 1 or 2€) and empty waste/ get recent water. Simple peezy.
So, when all of the above fails, let’s focus on public companies.
Gray Waste Water Disposal within the UK
For gray wastewater, there are methods to eliminate it correctly with out a campsite. The UK, like most of Europe, has separate techniques in place for rain water and gray water. Due to this fact, most roadside drains are for rainwater solely.
In case you’re fortunate sufficient to discover a gray water drain, you may simply pull your motorhome up excessive and open the waste (gray, NOT BLACK.) Most aires and permitted motorhome parking locations have gray water drains (though they don’t all the time say.)
Alternatively, in the event you’re parked up someplace, you should use a plastic container just like the beneath ones, which may then be carried to the suitable disposal level or drain.
The place to search out gray waste and bathroom disposal factors within the UK
Right here’s a improbable map from Campra (Marketing campaign for Actual Aires within the UK) which reveals aires and disposal factors across the UK.
There are a number of locations within the Lake District which have been arrange for waste disposal- right here’s the place to search out them (thanks Paul for the hyperlink)
Gray water and bathroom waste disposal factors in Scotland
Right here’s a fantastic map from CAMPA (NOT the identical as Campra above) exhibiting waste disposal factors and campsites in Scotland which let you use their companies for a price.
Can you place gray waste down a ‘regular’ street drain?
It is a difficult one. My politically right reply is not any, as a result of then it doesn’t return into the best system for remedy. Having stated that, it’s not unlawful to clean your automobile within the street- and that’s cleaning soap and grime too.
My sincere reply is, in a pinch, it’s higher to empty right into a drain than all around the street. Clearly, utilizing correct campsite services is the best choice. Attempt to use washing up liquid which is form to the surroundings (like those beneath) in the event you assume you would possibly do that in some unspecified time in the future.
Additionally, attempt to wipe down plates/ cooking pans to take away fats and meals earlier than you wash up (that is good apply anyway so your tank doesn’t scent/ pipes don’t get clogged.) And PLEASE don’t simply open the outlet as you’re driving alongside, even when it’s raining.
Additionally, some smaller campsites ask motorhomers to make use of their gray water on the hedgerows, particularly in summer season. Solely do that if requested/ clear indicators.
Black waste/ bathroom cassette disposal for vanlife
Public toilets- don’t use busy ones just like the M6 companies or beachfront ones. Discover a quiet village or distant bathroom. There’s an internet site and app known as Bathroom Map which will help you discover locations.
Additionally, don’t tip all of it out at once- you’ll block the bathroom. Little then flush. Clear up
VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure that the bathroom you might be emptying into isn’t on a septic tank/ fosse. Whether it is, and you utilize ‘regular’ bathroom fluids, you’ll kill all of the micro organism.
Once more, if that is seemingly (in the event you’re motorhoming in France for instance), use fosse-friendly fluid in your bathroom cassette. I exploit a product known as Solbio natural bathroom fluid, which is pure and doesn’t comprise dangerous chemical compounds. It’s additionally secure to be disposed of in septic tanks or fosse, which means we now have extra choices to eliminate our bathroom responsibly.
Learn how to make your motorhome bathroom last more between emptying
To make the bathroom go for longer between discharges, some folks use a pee bottle, however you want a bit of liquid in there in any other case it should all stick as an enormous lump.
What I want to do as an alternative is to not put bathroom paper into the bathroom. As a substitute, I exploit a plastic bag, like a nappy bag for all used paper, which may then be disposed of safely in a bin.
Some folks discover this bizarre, however I needed to do it for years on the boat so it’s fairly widespread and does cease the bathroom getting so full, so quick.
Additionally, you do NOT must pay for costly motorhome bathroom paper. Critically, simply get a budget stuff from any grocery store so it dissolves simply. However in the event you’re going to place it right into a bag, you should purchase no matter model you want! However in the event you’re wanting an ecofriendly choice, I’ve beneficial some beneath.
Another choice for ‘sticky’ bathroom paper is to not use lots of water to flush the paper down- that simply fills up the cassette. As a substitute, you should use a twig bottle (or previous Domestos bottle with the jet spout) for focused stress to flush it down and clear marks on the bowl with little or no water use. (Thanks Bob for the tip.)
While we’re on the topic, please, fairly please, don’t empty the cassette together with the street, or right into a hedge, or the forest. It’s inflicting chaos in common areas and locations like Portugal have been destroyed by this, so please do assist shield our nation by disposing of waste hygenically.
Discovering recent consuming water whereas travelling
As for getting water, you used to have the ability to get water from garages and repair stations, however a lot of these have gone now. Some folks counsel utilizing graveyards however personally that doesn’t sit nicely.
In case you’re a canal boat proprietor, you might need a key which supplies you entry to services- some locations have these close to sufficient to a parking lot for hoses to achieve. Once more, I exploit campsites and solely drink water from the lifesaver jerrycan I carry onboard (HIGHLY advocate this in the event you journey loads.)
I hope that helped reply your questions. I’d love to listen to what you do- be at liberty to share your recommendations. And if you recognize of any campsites which can allow you to use their services for a price, please do drop the main points beneath so others can profit.
Need extra ideas for motorhoming?
Listed below are some extra concepts you would possibly discover helpful:
Need FREE checklists, eBooks and extra ideas to assist? Go to our useful resource web page
Final replace on 2025-05-19 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photographs from Amazon Product Promoting API