Black and Gray Water Holding
Tank Maintenance
The Geo Method
By Charles Bruni
Everyone who owns an RV should be concerned with maintaining its wastewater
tanks. Problems with wastewater tanks that can be avoided should be avoided. Wastewater
tank repair is expensive. Due to health concerns, many service facilities will
not work on wastewater tanks and lines until the tanks have been completely
emptied and sanitized. This may be quite difficult when the tank(s) is in need
of repair. So, common sense dictates that the tanks should be kept relatively
clean at all times. Additionally, improper use of the wastewater tanks can lead
to a build up of solid wastes, which in itself may cause the system to fail.
I've discovered very simple, effective, and inexpensive methods of maintaining
my wastewater tanks in a relatively clean condition at all times. I developed
these methods myself through my understanding of chemistry, physics, and
biology with a smidgen of common sense thrown in for good measure. I also read
my RV owner's manual. Although we are not full time RVers
we use our fifth wheel camper at least one weekend a month. We never use public
bathing and toilet facilities. In other words, our wastewater tanks are fairly
heavily used. Since I've met a number of RVers who
don't seem to know how to maintain their wastewater tanks I thought many RVers would find my tips useful. If you have not been
maintaining your tanks I believe you will be pleasantly surprised the first
time you employ these tips. I do these things and they work.
1. DUMP A FULL TANK
When you are camping and your RV is connected to a
sewer/septic intake, leave the drain valves closed until the tank is full and
ready to dump. Dumping a full tank provides a sufficient quantity of water to
flush solids from the tank. Leaving the drain valves open allows the water to
drain off without flushing out solid waste. That solid waste will collect in
the tank(s) and cause problems over time. If your tanks are not full when you
are ready to dump them, fill them with fresh water first, and then dump them.
2. DUMP TANKS IN ORDER FROM DIRTIEST TO
CLEANEST
In other words, dump the black (commode) water tank first, then dump the galley
tank, then dump the shower and bathroom sink tank. This way you will be
flushing out the dirtiest water with progressively cleaner water.
3. USE WATER SOFTENER Calgon
Water Softener Link
This stuff is amazing and it works. Buy a couple of boxes of powdered water
softener at the grocery store. You'll find it located with or near the laundry
detergent products. I prefer Calgon Water Softener
because it dissolves quickly in water. Cheaper water softeners work just as
well but dissolve more slowly. Dissolve two (2) cups of the water softener in a
gallon of hot water. Then, pour the solution down the drain into the empty
tank. Use two cups of softener for each wastewater tank in your RV. The tank's
drain valve should be closed otherwise the softened water will just drain out.
Then use the tank(s) normally until it is full and drain it normally. Add a cup
of laundry detergent to the black (commode) water tank at the same time you add
water softener. This will help clean the tank. The gray water tanks should
already contain soap through normal use.
The water softener makes the solid waste let go from the sides of the tanks. If
you've ever taken a shower in softened water you know that after rinsing the
soap from your body your skin will feel slick. That's because all the soap
rinses away with soft water. Softened water also prevents soap scum from
sticking in the tub. Get the connection? With softened water gunk washes away
instead of sticking. The same thing applies to your RV's wastewater tanks.
I use one of those clear plastic elbow connectors to attach my sewer drain line
to the wastewater outlet on my RV. It allows me to see how well things are
progressing during a wastewater dump. Before I began using water softener
regularly the black water tank's water was brown, the galley tank's water was
brownish, and the bathroom tank's water was white. The first time I added water
softener to the tanks the water coming from the black water tank was actually
black (not brown) and the kitchen tank's water was also black (not brownish).
The bathroom tank's water remained white. That told me that the water softener
had actually done what I had intended for it to do and made solid waste, which
had been stuck to the interior of the tanks, let go and drain away. I added
water softener to all the wastewater tanks for the next few dumps to be certain
all the solid waste possible had been cleaned away. The wastewater only
appeared black on the initial treatment. I now add water softener to each tank
once after every few dumps to maintain the system.
Occasionally, I pour a half gallon of liquid bleach into each tank to sanitize
and disinfect them. I add the bleach when the tank is about half full, and then
continue to use the tank normally until it is full and ready to dump. I no
longer use the blue toilet chemical because it isn't necessary. I have no odors
coming from my black water tank. Generic brand liquid bleach is cheap and very
effective.
How Does Chlorine Bleach Work? Link
4. USE A WATER
Most fresh water contains sediment. Sediment will accumulate in your wastewater
tanks and your fresh water lines. It also tends to discolor your sinks,
tub/shower, and commode. I use the disposable type and have found that they
eventually fill up and begin restricting the fresh water flow resulting in low
pressure. That's how I know it's time to get a new filter. It works, it's
cheap, it avoids problems, do it. When I fill my fresh
water tank I attach the filter to the end of the hose and fill the tank with
filtered water.
SOME OTHER THOUGHTS
Never put regular toilet tissue in your RV's black
tank. Only use toilet tissue which is approved for RV and/or septic tank use.
Regular toilet tissue may eventually dissolve, but not before causing a clog in
your black tank.
I believe occasionally traveling with partially filled wastewater tanks that
contain softened water promotes cleaning by agitating the water. The same goes
for chlorine bleach.
I believe this process works faster and more efficiently during warm weather.
However, I know it works well even during cool/cold weather.
I believe the process works best the longer the water softener remains in the
tanks. So, I don't add water softener during periods of heavy wastewater
generation. I wait until I know we won't be generating wastewater quickly so
that the softened water remains in the tanks for several days before dumping.
I add a small amount of chlorine bleach to the fresh water tank twice a year to
disinfect and sanitize the fresh water tank and fresh water lines. A weak
chlorine bleach solution will not hurt you. However, it certainly makes the
water taste bad. When we have chlorine in the fresh water system we use bottled
water for drinking and cooking until the chlorine is gone.
My tanks are plastic and my pipes are PVC.
Don't be afraid to use your tanks. Just use common sense about their care and
maintenance.
These tips are inexpensive to do. Some of them don't cost anything. You have
nothing to lose in trying them and I encourage you to do so. I actually feel a
certain amount of pride in the condition and cleanliness of both my waste and
fresh water systems. Naturally, these tips make dumping a much more pleasant
and sanitary procedure.
If you have odors in any of your water systems these procedures should
eliminate them. Odors indicate a sanitary problem and degrade the enjoyment you
derive from your RV.
When my RV is parked and not in use I place stoppers in the sink and tub
drains. This forces the wastewater tanks to vent through the vent pipes to the
outside instead of through the drains into the RV. Water evaporates. Once the
drain traps dry out during periods of non-use, nothing is there to prevent
gasses (odor) from venting into the camper. Use stoppers when your RV is
stored.
Please consider printing this information and posting it on the bulletin boards
of RV parks and campgrounds you visit. Fellow RVers
will benefit from your consideration.