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Old 03-19-2017, 11:47 AM   #1
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How to save water while boondocking?

Towards the end of May I'm vending at a huge swap meet in Packwood WA. 5-6 days of boondocking. I'm looking forward to it, but also a tad bit anxious about it.

I know the basics - don't take long showers, if you even take one. Okay, I won't go *that* long without a shower. I don't want to stink myself out of the trailer! Sponge/wash cloths only go so far.

There will not be any campground showers as everyone parks in various fields that have spots rented to them and you can vend next to your trailer/camper/tent/whatever.

There will be port-a-potties. Oh joy. I discovered I use less water in the toilet if I don't shove the TP down it, so will be utilizing that method during this event.

Paper plates. Wiping out the cooking pan with a bit of water sprayed on it and a paper towel.

For the days I don't take a shower - what's a good method for taking care of your hair? My scalp gets itchy and the hair all lank and icky looking. Suggestions? (Nope, not going bald during that event, so those of you that are hair challenged need not answer. )

I can bring extra water in jerry cans, but there's the issue of the grey and black tanks getting full. I won't have any way of dumping them until I leave and find a dump site somewhere else.

Thanks!
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Old 03-19-2017, 11:53 AM   #2
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Wear a hat.....
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Old 03-19-2017, 11:55 AM   #3
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TMI... maybe. But I find I can go about 4 days without a "shower" as long as the weather is cool and I don't sweat! I use baby wipes and have purchased some "Dry Bath" cloths at a medical supply store. They're used for bed bound individuals. The one thing I can't go without, is I need to wash my hair every single day. I can wash and rinse with about a gallon of water. My hair is short and I buy shampoo for the trailer that doesn't contain conditioner.
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Old 03-19-2017, 12:01 PM   #4
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I have shaved my head before embarking on a two week fishing trip.
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Old 03-19-2017, 12:03 PM   #5
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We sometimes go for a long time on limited water. How long depends on the weather. If it's warm and sunny we use a solar shower. We carry water for it in jerry cans. Without using the trailer water for hair washing or showers the length of time you can go is greatly increased. Most of the folks that stay at places like the beaches in Baja have little shower tents set up. Again, though, that's only an option in warm weather.

If there's outhouses available you don't have to worry about your tanks. You can drain off grey water and even the black water. Again, folks in Baja use their trailers facilities then dump into a tank and empty it into the outhouse. We had an RV in New Zealand that had a cassette toilet. That was part of the morning routine.

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Old 03-19-2017, 12:06 PM   #6
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You might check with the organizer. In the situation you describe, there could be a honey wagon that goes around emptying tanks for a fee, and another providing water and ice.
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Old 03-19-2017, 12:19 PM   #7
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TMI... maybe. But I find I can go about 4 days without a "shower" as long as the weather is cool and I don't sweat! I use baby wipes and have purchased some "Dry Bath" cloths at a medical supply store. They're used for bed bound individuals. The one thing I can't go without, is I need to wash my hair every single day. I can wash and rinse with about a gallon of water. My hair is short and I buy shampoo for the trailer that doesn't contain conditioner.
Hi: Donna D... Our 5.0TA never needs shampooing, but it does like a bath now and then!!! As for condition... that's debatable. Alf
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Old 03-19-2017, 12:41 PM   #8
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The sewer drain cap can be purchased with a garden hose fitting. Easy to drain the gray tank into a pail then.


Navy showers, dry flushing and putting the first blast of cold shower water into either the toilet bowl or the soup pot helps too.




Oh, and short hair yo.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:03 PM   #9
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TMI... maybe. But I find I can go about 4 days without a "shower" as long as the weather is cool and I don't sweat! I use baby wipes and have purchased some "Dry Bath" cloths at a medical supply store. They're used for bed bound individuals. The one thing I can't go without, is I need to wash my hair every single day. I can wash and rinse with about a gallon of water. My hair is short and I buy shampoo for the trailer that doesn't contain conditioner.
Nope, not TMI, so thanks. Not heard of these dry bath cloths. Will have to research them.

I do plan to get my hair cut shorter than usual just before the event. I'm not much of a hat wearer, although if it's sunny (or even making a partial sighting) I sure will to keep from sunburning.

I'm not sure if they'll let me lug a bucket of grey to the port-a-potties. This is my first time at this event. I do know they won't have any honey pot trucks running around. Once you get set into your spot, you're not moving and there wouldn't be enough room to get a truck like that around the rigs. I'm getting a spot big enough to put the truck and trailer in an L shape, with vending tables in the empty areas.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:06 PM   #10
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My hair is past shoulder length and I find putting it into 2 tight braids keeps it fresher on long camping trips. As for grey and black water, you can buy a portable holding tank that you empty into and it has wheels to transport to a dumping area. They range in size from about 10-50 gallons. Camping World has a few options.

Hope you have fun and do well at the swap meet.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:25 PM   #11
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The drain cap Bruce mentions is an alternative and you can put the drain hose into an Airstream bucket (aluminum bucket with holes in the bottom that allows a slow drain)
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:40 PM   #12
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there are some no rinse shampoo that the backpacker uses, you can try them before hand and see if you can put up with it. I found that brushing more often will lessen the scalp itchy problem too.. we've been using the bath wipes for long trips and it works for us. for dishes and pans use a baby wipe with some sprays of water to wipe them then rinse in two buckets works pretty good.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:00 PM   #13
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For you die-hards.

Solar-powered machine turns urine into drinkable water.
https://www.engadget.com/2016/07/27/...inkable-water/
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:10 PM   #14
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The 21 actually has quite a bit of capacity. At the farm I shower twice a day and the fresh and grey tank will last 3 to 4 days. The black tank 2 weeks. I have to haul water from town because of bad well water. Loren
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:18 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
We sometimes go for a long time on limited water. How long depends on the weather. If it's warm and sunny we use a solar shower. We carry water for it in jerry cans. Without using the trailer water for hair washing or showers the length of time you can go is greatly increased. Most of the folks that stay at places like the beaches in Baja have little shower tents set up. Again, though, that's only an option in warm weather.

If there's outhouses available you don't have to worry about your tanks. You can drain off grey water and even the black water. Again, folks in Baja use their trailers facilities then dump into a tank and empty it into the outhouse. We had an RV in New Zealand that had a cassette toilet. That was part of the morning routine.

Ron
Porta Johns are not designed for the dumping of grey or black tank waste water. Dumping of grey and black water into pit toilets or outhouses is not always allowed either . I have been in several parks that had pit toilets which utilized under ground storage tanks and the dumping of waste water was not allowed.
I have also been in parks that allowed you to dump black water in their outhouse / pit toilet but not if the waste contained holding tank chemicals.
I would verify what facilities are available before hand and not assume anything.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:20 PM   #16
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Just spent four days on orcas island, no showers, two people, not terribly conscious of water use til end of trip and we were fine altho no showers. When we used to tent camp, i used water from container and put in bucket and washed the important areas and my hair every few days. In four days with two people , Our grey tank was almost full but black only 1/2 with regular use. We bought five gallon container in town and attempt to fill june Bug's tank, pain in the ass, need pump as others have advised on forum. when we camp for more then weekend, we are bringing 10 gallons of water and pump to get into tank. What an adventure/learning experience!!
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:20 PM   #17
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when there are no available showers we tend to run out of fresh water before either grey or black need dumping. For 2 of us we use about 7 gallons a day taking showers in the camper. I find it easier to refill with the 7 gallons every day then wait till it needs more. I take and fill a 7 gallon Reliant jug, then fill 1 gallon jugs from it and dump them into the tank with a funnel.

Be sure your shower head has a shutoff that works on it.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:28 PM   #18
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when there are no available showers we tend to run out of fresh water before either grey or black need dumping. For 2 of us we use about 7 gallons a day taking showers in the camper. I find it easier to refill with the 7 gallons every day then wait till it needs more. I take and fill a 7 gallon Reliant jug, then fill 1 gallon jugs from it and dump them into the tank with a funnel.

Be sure your shower head has a shutoff that works on it.
I spent the winter at the LTVA in Quartzsite, where the dump station & fresh water was 3 miles away. I generally went 12 -14 days before needing to dump (the black tank fills first) or take on fresh water. I used baby wipes, hospital no rinse washcloths, the $7.00 showers at the Laundromat in town when I did laundry, and every other technique, including the vault toilets if I was driving past them, to avoid hauling the trailer to the dump station. No complaints from friends & neighbors; they were even willing to sit downwind!

As to hair, what little I have left is only about 1/4" long, so it doesn't take much to wash it.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:55 PM   #19
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One of the more enlightened campground designs I have encountered was at
Salt Fork St Park in SE Ohio. They had grey water dump Stations and fresh water hose bibs throughout the campground. With modern restrooms and showers in the campground the only water we used was in the kitchen sink and we could drain the grey off and dump it in the grey water sites. Very convenient and could have used our camper shower there if We would have wanted to also. We were there in the spring of 2014. They had a very very good maintenance crew. The lady told me she'd come back after I had my shower when I interrupted her routine. When i came out of the
Shower house she was washing windows on another building about a block away while standing on an extension ladder. Nice people.
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Old 03-19-2017, 04:03 PM   #20
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As for grey and black water, you can buy a portable holding tank that you empty into and it has wheels to transport to a dumping area. They range in size from about 10-50 gallons)
Wow, a portable 50 gallon holding tank must be big! Where would an Escape camper store it? How and where would you dump it? When full it must be close to 400 pounds.
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