graywater

[ramona]

we camp out on the boat alot and do not like to dump graywater into the lake or sea. Has anyone installed a greywater tank in their boat and if yes where? many thanks ramona

 

[Jon Bastien]

Haven't done it, but...

Hi Ramona! I haven't made that modification, but if I were to hold the grey water aboard, I think I would put the tank inside the cockpit locker, as far forward as possible, and centered. This is where I was going to put a large fresh water tank on my 23 (before we decided to get a larger boat instead ;o). This seems to be a good location, as it is lower than the sink drain under most conditions, and somewhat easily accessible. How were you planning on draining the grey water tank? In this location, you'd need some kind of pump, or a deck fitting similar to a waste pumpout setup. Either that, or your grey water tank needs to be removable...--Jon BastienH23 '2 Sheets to the Wind'H25 'Adagio'

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

No reason to hold gray water...

Nowhere is it illegal, and besides--there are no pollutants in it...they were taken out of soaps, shampoos, and dishwashing liquids years ago, and there are no harmful bacteria in it as there is in sewage. Just scrape your dishes well (or use paper plates) and pour off any grease from frying into a container before washing the pan.

 

[Alan]

On some lakes in New York It's the law.

On certain lakes in New York grey water discharge is illegal. However your grey water is cleaner than most runoff that goes into bodies of water.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

To my knowledge, only two lakes in the US...

...prohibit gray water discharge from recreational vessels: Lake George in NY and Lake (some day I WILL learn to spell this one) Winnepesockee in NH. Both are exceptionally pristine non-navigable lakes, and both have prohibited discharge of ANY kind since long before the Federal Water Pollution Act ("Clean Water Act") of 1977 was enacted and created our federal marine sanitation laws. I'm in contact with boat owners all over the country who are only too willing to correct me when I'm wrong, but I've yet to learn of any others. So unless you're on one of those two lakes, gray water is not an issue.