Dump Station Open, Rinse Water Off: How to Empty Your Tanks

This time of year, plenty of campgrounds turn the water off to keep pipes from freezing but leave the dump station open. You can still dump. You just can't rinse with their water.

Here's how to do it cleanly.

01What to bring

• Disposable gloves (a box, not a pair)
• A few gallons of non-potable water in a jug, marked so nobody drinks it
• Your sewer hose and fittings, checked for cracks
• Paper towels and a trash bag
• Hand sanitizer or a small wash jug and soap

02The order

1. Pull up so your outlet is close to the drain. Shorter hose, fewer problems.
2. Gloves on. Connect the hose to the RV first, then put the other end in the drain. Some stations have a lid to hold it in.
3. Black tank first. Open the valve and let it drain completely.
4. Grey tank second. The soapy water helps flush the hose.
5. Close both valves.
6. Rinse the hose with your jug of water. Lift the hose from the RV end to the drain so it empties.
7. Disconnect, cap and bag the hose.

03Rinsing the black tank without a hose

• Before you leave home or a campground with water, add a few gallons to the black tank with a little tank treatment. Water in the tank helps everything slide out at the dump.
• At the dump station, after draining, close the valve, pour a few gallons of water into the toilet, and drain again.

04When it's freezing

Hoses get stiff and brittle in the cold. Bring it inside to warm before you use it. If the tank valves feel stuck, don't force them. They may be frozen. See tank heaters and keeping water from freezing at camp.

05Never

• Use the drinking-water hose for rinsing
• Dump on the ground
• Leave the dump area dirty for the next person

Clean up after yourself and close the drain lid. Campgrounds that keep their dump stations open in the off-season will keep doing it if campers treat them right.

Photo by Xtrodinary on Pixabay.

Related: Fall Camping: How to Stay Warm When Nights Drop Below 40 · First Freeze Checklist for a Travel Trailer You're Still Using