Proper Etiquette
Since many state parks in Ohio are offering full hookups, I’d like to know the correct etiquette when it comes to dumping black and gray tanks before leaving a site. Do you rinse with the freshwater spigot? Do you just flush and then go to the dump station? I have never heard of any correct and sanitary way of dumping at your full-hookup site. Please enlighten me.
Gerry Berry
St. Clairsville, Ohio
Bob: Good questions, Gerry. I venture to say that most owners will dump their holding tanks at the site if hookups are provided. And, as you probably have already observed, not everyone is tidy when it comes to dumping the tanks.
I suggest that you remove the freshwater hose from the spigot and rig and store it before dumping the tanks. If you plan on rinsing the tanks—and that should be part of your regular procedure when dumping—use a separate hose that is dedicated to this service only.
You should dump the black tank first so the gray water can be used to clean out the hose. I prefer to rinse the black tank using a built-in device to which a hose (used for this purpose only) is connected. I usually rinse thoroughly, filling up the tank with water twice so that no contents are left in the tank. If you do this, the dump hose will become well rinsed by the end of the process.
Unfortunately, people tend to hold the dump hose under the spigot for rinsing. That will likely contaminate the spigot. Most people don’t even think about contamination; it’s a logical process, since the spigot and dump connection are in close proximity to each other. Your best defense is to sanitize the spigot before attaching the water hose when you arrive at your site. You can do this by mixing bleach and water in a bottle and spraying the spigot thoroughly before using.
It goes without saying that owners must clean up if they have an accident or spill contents on the ground.
Jeff
I have dumped at dump stations, full hook up spots and such like everyone else. My procedure is simple and I do flush black water first, have a flush system that is installed on the black tank and have a seperate hose for flushing. The thing that I always do is clean the spigot before and after. I keep a spray bottle of bleach mixture, 1 part bleach and 10 parts water. When we get to a site and are going to hook up or just fill, I spray the spigot and the hose end prior to hooking up. Let them set for a minute. Hook up and do the rest of the hook up. Always hook up the fresh water first. When disconnecting, I put my fresh water hose away, and again prior to fitting the two ends together, a shot of bleach water. Get my flushing hose out which is always sprayed before storing, spray again, hook up and flush away. When done, I spray the fittings again. When I am done storing all my stuff, I simply spray the hose spigot again, inside and around the outside prior to departing. This helps keep the connections sainitary. I have seen folks store hoses and other things together, so I not only help protect my family and equipment, but try to keep the area I have used protected from contaminents. Good Luck & Be Safe ! ! !